AUSTRALIA FACES FRESH EXTREMIST THREATS
Over the past year, Australia "recorded nine terror attacks, disruptions, or incidents," and "religiously motivated violent extremists" have dominated much of the work of the country's intelligence agency, its intelligence chief has said. Mike Burgess, head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO), recently confirmed the rising threat to Australia from Salafi-jihadi groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda. "In our assessment... The majority of incidents were allegedly motivated by nationalist and racist ideologies or mixed ideologies [and not] directly inspired by the conflict in the Middle East," Burgess noted in an interview with the SBS News News In Depth podcast. He likewise warned about the changing nature of extremist threats that make it difficult to track and contain any violent event: "All involve young people, all involve lone actors or small groups. All involve low capability weapons. Few of the alleged perpetrators were previously known to ASIO or police, and of those who moved to violence, the majority gave little or no warning." (SBS News, November 5, 2024)
MOROCCO TAKES A STAND ON TIES WITH ISRAEL
Over the past year, Israel's war against the Hamas terrorist group in the Gaza Strip has fundamentally upended the Jewish state's regional relationships – and brought down the curtain, at least temporarily, on Jerusalem's previously burgeoning ties to the countries of the "Abraham Accords." However, one of those nations, Morocco, is now returning to the diplomatic table. The Kingdom has become the first to officially reaffirm diplomatic ties with Israel, citing its Jewish heritage as justification. The decision has upset a significant portion of the Moroccan "street," which remains significantly pro-Palestinian.
Officials in Rabat have been quick to stress that the decision does not signal an abandonment of the Palestinians. "Morocco has strongly condemned, at the highest levels, Israeli attacks on civilians, hospitals, and schools, deeming them unacceptable," Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita recently told journalists. "Morocco's position on Palestine remains a priority." However, many Moroccan pro-Palestinian groups view the monarchy's actions as tantamount to a betrayal, and have advanced an anti-normalization petition with the goal of getting the country's parliament to weigh in on the state of diplomatic ties with Israel. "We will not stop until normalisation is revoked," Aziz Hanaoui, a member of the Moroccan Observatory Against Normalisation, has said. (The New Arab, November 5, 2024)
A FATWA AGAINST HAMAS
Finally, Palestinian public opinion appears to be turning against Hamas in earnest. The latest blow to the Islamist group's legitimacy comes from Dr. Salman Al-Dayah, a prominent religious authority. Early last month, Al-Dayah, issued a fatwa – a non-binding religious ruling or opinion – condemning Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. His scathing critique asserts that the attack contradicted Islamic beliefs surrounding jihad, and therefore could not be considered legitimate. According to Al Dayah, a Salafist cleric, the attack violated requirements for the protection of civilian life, as well as those mandating the avoidance action that provokes an excessive response. (BBC, November 8, 2024)
LIBYA TIGHTENS SOCIAL CONTROL
Libyan Interior Minister Imad Al-Tarabulsi is planning to soon introduce a set of morality laws aimed at preserving the country's "traditional identity." The new regulations will disproportionately target Libyan women, with stipulations such as the mandatory wearing of the hijab starting in the fourth grade, prohibitions on mixed-gender gatherings, and bans on solo female travel. The laws also include curbs on "western-style" clothing and a condition for social media monitoring. Tarabulsi has also announced that the new regulations will be enforced by a soon-to-be-introduced "morality police" and female police unit.
The new plan has international rights watchdogs crying foul. Tarabulsi's proposals "represent a dangerous escalation" of repression and restrictions in Libya," Amnesty International has protested. The human rights NGO has opposed "threats of the Minister of Interior to suppress basic freedoms in the name of morality." (5 Pillars, November 11, 2024)
BAGHDAD AIMS TO LOWER AGE OF CONSENT
Iraq's powerful Shia majority is working to overturn existing legislation that governs family affairs. The legislative tweaks to the country's "personal status law," commonly known as Law 188, would lower the legal age of consent for Iraqi girls from 18 down to 9 years old, and strip women in the country of the right to divorce, gain custody of children, or claim inheritance. Shia political parties have tried to pass such amendments in previous years, but were met with staunch opposition from Iraqi women and other opponents. However, the country's ruling coalition is now closer than ever to passing the amendment thanks to its commanding parliamentary majority. Experts and activists say the amendment would effectively erase the most important rights of women in the country. (The Telegraph, November 7, 2024)
[EDITORS' NOTE: Law 188 was passed in 1959, and widely seen as "one of the most progressive in the Middle East." It provides an "overarching" set of rules guaranteeing family rights in Iraq irrespective of sectarian affiliation or religious denomination.]