Location: The Netherlands
Amsterdam was left shaken after a wave of brutal violence targeting Israeli soccer fans during a Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv escalated into what some have called a "Jew hunt." Masked youths on scooters and e-bikes prowled the city, reportedly asking victims if they were Jewish or demanding to see passports before launching attacks. Videos captured scenes of young men wielding sticks and firecrackers, with one incident involving a tram vandalized and set ablaze in a city square. The violence, described by Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof as “shameful” and “unacceptable,” resulted in over 20 injuries and 62 arrests, with 10 Israelis among those detained. Schoof drew a stark distinction, stating, “There is a big difference between destroying things and hunting Jews. Nothing, absolutely nothing, can excuse the deliberate searching and hunting down of Jews.” Reports suggest the attacks were fueled by social media incitement amidst heightened tensions over the Israel-Palestine conflict. King Willem-Alexander, reflecting on the Netherlands’ Holocaust history, lamented, “We failed the Jewish community of the Netherlands during the Second World War... and last night, we failed again.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu compared the events to Kristallnacht, a notorious antisemitic pogrom, while calling for stronger measures against rising antisemitism in Europe. As scrutiny turned to European security measures, UEFA announced the relocation of future matches involving Israeli teams to neutral venues, highlighting the broader implications of the violence for Israeli sports fans across the continent.
Location: Libya
In a troubling shift toward religious authoritarianism, Libya's Government of National Unity has announced plans to reinstate morality police patrols in Tripoli starting December 2024. Interior Minister Emad al-Trabelsi's announcement revealed sweeping new restrictions on personal freedoms, including mandatory hijabs for women and girls as young as nine, restrictions on women's travel without male guardians, and bans on gender mixing in public spaces. In a particularly stark declaration, al-Trabelsi dismissed concerns about personal liberty, stating that "personal freedom does not exist here in Libya" and suggesting those seeking such freedoms "should go to Europe." The morality police will have broad powers to enforce these regulations, including the authority to shut down non-compliant businesses like barber shops and shisha bars. This development has deeply divided Libyan society, with some supporting the measures as protection of cultural norms while others argue the resources would be better spent addressing the country's pressing issues of political instability and social services in a nation still grappling with the aftermath of its 2011 NATO-backed uprising.
Location: Afghanistan
In a disturbing demonstration of their continued implementation of strict Sharia law, the Taliban conducted their sixth public execution since returning to power, carrying out the death sentence of Mohammad Ayaz Asad at a sports stadium in Gardez, Afghanistan. The execution, witnessed by senior Taliban officials including Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, exemplifies the regime's commitment to their harsh interpretation of Islamic law despite international condemnation. As the Taliban Supreme Court stated, "The case was meticulously examined and scrutinized by the three-stage military court of the Islamic Emirate in multiple iterations before the order of retaliation (Qisas) was issued and approved." The event, which drew crowds to the stadium despite a ban on cameras and mobile devices, has sparked strong criticism from UN officials, including Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett, who called for an immediate halt to such "atrocious punishments." This execution follows a pattern of severe public punishments by the Taliban, who have also flogged hundreds of Afghans, including women, for various "immoral crimes" such as adultery, theft, and homosexuality, with nearly 100 public floggings recorded in October alone.
Location: Gaza
In a groundbreaking move that has reverberated across Gaza and beyond, Dr. Salman al-Dayah, a highly respected Islamic scholar and former dean at the Hamas-affiliated Islamic University of Gaza, issued a fatwa denouncing Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack on Israel as an "illegitimate jihad." Dr. Dayah’s detailed six-page ruling criticized the operation, which resulted in over 1,200 Israeli deaths, hundreds of hostages, and a devastating war that killed more than 45,000 Gazans, as a violation of Islamic principles. “Human life is more precious to God than Mecca,” he declared, emphasizing that jihad must meet strict conditions, including avoiding actions likely to provoke disproportionate retaliation and ensuring the safety of civilians. Dr. Dayah accused Hamas of failing in its obligations under Islamic law by using civilians as human shields, neglecting to provide essential resources such as food and medicine, and bringing catastrophic consequences to Gaza's infrastructure and society. He referenced Quranic verses and the Sunnah to argue that jihad must prioritize the protection of lives and honor, asserting, “If the pillars, causes, or conditions of jihad are not met, it must be avoided to prevent destroying people’s lives.” Dr. Dayah called on Hamas leaders to form a government focused on unity and Gazans' welfare, urging them to abandon factionalism and avoid actions that further devastate the population. This bold critique not only undermines Hamas’s religious justifications for its actions but also intensifies internal debates within Palestinian society and the broader Muslim world about the moral and strategic implications of armed conflict.
Location: Iran
In a deeply concerning development, Iran has announced the opening of a "Clinic for Quitting Hijab Removal" in Tehran, marking a new phase in the regime's efforts to suppress women's resistance to mandatory hijab laws. The facility, overseen by the state's Headquarters for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, aims to "treat" women who refuse to wear headscarves, effectively pathologizing dissent as a mental illness. According to Mehri Talebi Darestani, the clinic's overseer, it "will be for the scientific and psychological treatment of removing the hijab, specifically for the teenage generation, young adults, and women seeking social and Islamic identity." This development comes in the wake of the widespread "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests following Mahsa Amini's death in 2022, and has drawn sharp criticism from human rights activists and psychiatric professionals who condemn the regime's attempt to medicalize political opposition. The announcement follows several incidents where protesting women have been forcibly committed to mental health facilities, including the recent case of Ahou Daryaei, a 30-year-old student who was institutionalized after protesting hijab laws on her university campus.
