Beyond Fragile Coexistence: Rebuilding Jewish–Muslim Interfaith Dialogue in a Post-October 7th World
The Israel–Hamas war, triggered by Hamas’s attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent Israeli military response in Gaza, has deepened the moral divide between Jewish and Muslim […]
New Syria in the Making—Challenges and Opportunities for Israel
The surprise attack by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which began on November 27, 2024, and resulted in the fall of Damascus in less than two weeks, caught many by surprise—including […]
When Allies Fall: Iran’s Strategic Challenges in a Post-Assad Middle East
Introduction The fall of the Assad regime in Syria represents a pivotal turning point in the regional balance of power. In the span of just 11 days, a government that […]
Fethullah Gülen and Interfaith Dialogue in Times of Crisis: Vision, Pragmatism, and Challenges
Author: Professor Efrat Aviv, Department of General History, Bar Ilan University. Fethullah Gülen (1941–2024) was a Turkish religious figure, intellectual, and spiritual leader, best known for his movement, Hizmet (Service). […]
Looketh Toward Damascus: Syria in the Post-Assad Era
Introduction The current situation in Syria (as of March 2025), marked by divisions and fragmentation, is not unlike the patterns that have characterized the region for hundreds of years. A […]
From Nabi ʽAkasa to the Tomb of Benjamin: How a Sacred Jewish Holy Site Was Created
According to Islamic tradition, the prophet ʽAkasa bin Moḥsin, one of the disciples of the Prophet Muḥammad, is buried in the mosque of Nabi ʽAkasa, located in Western Jerusalem, next […]
Toward a Spatial Theory of Interfaith and Multifaith Encounters in the 21st Century: Perspectives of a Cultural-Political Geographer
Introduction On Yom Kippur in 2008, Acre became a battleground between its Jewish and Muslim residents. The conflagration, both literally and figuratively, began when a young Muslim driver drove through […]
Israel, the Mount, and the Mosque
Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and Israel’s subsequent war on Gaza both have significant national and religious implications. There is ample evidence of Hamas fighters wearing ribbons […]
Introduction to Special Issue: Sacred Spaces in the Middle East—Catalysts of Conflict and Coexistence
The Middle East boasts a tapestry of sacred sites that draw pilgrims from diverse countries, faiths, cultures, and walks of life year-round and during key festivals. These sites serve as […]
The Esther and Mordechai Mausoleum Challenges the Islamic Republic’s Distinction Between Jews and Zionists
During the war in Gaza, when the Mollah regime in Iran tried to compel the Iranian people to show gestures of support for Hamas and animosity toward Israel, the only […]