Hello, and welcome to the May issue of Asfar’s e-journal in 2017! So much has happened in the world of politics since the last issue was published. Britain has started to pursue new trading relationships around the world, France has chosen a new President, and we have seen a significant number of defeats of ISIS/IS/Daesh in Iraq … Continued
I have chosen a few excerpts from the new Hamas policy document (published 1 May 2017). I have chosen not to include any analysis or criticisms so that you, the reader, can make up your own minds. Do you agree with this document? Will it prove successful or not? Is it an unnecessary addition to … Continued
On May 11, 1943 Shmuel Zygelboym wrote his final letter and addressed the question of “the conscience of the world”, acknowledging that “I know how little human life is worth today”. (1) Zygelboym, a member of the Polish Bund exiled in London was addressing the Nazi atrocities transpiring without much resistance from the rest of … Continued
It is frequent to come across the concept of ‘mysticism’ while reading a book, singing a song, studying history, or listening to a religious speech. However, sometimes it is hard to define what mysticism is exactly, placing it in a precise space and time and attributing it to a defined category of people. It is … Continued
The Balkan region has experienced an immense amount of change in the last three decades, with borders that have shifted and ethnic disparities distributed throughout different countries. But to the naked eye, it can seem to the outsider that the borders and countries are stable, with ethnic tensions being a mere question of the past. … Continued
While much has been made in the West of the ascendance of political Islam in the MENA region, there has been far too little analysis of why and how political Islam and groups like Hezbollah and the Muslim Brotherhood have such widespread support. This is perhaps because the easy answer is that Muslims have native … Continued
Published by AsfarEurope in London, UK - ISSN 2055-7957 (Online)