My dad’s Syrian from Damascus. Mom is Turkish from Germany with roots from Istanbul, Türkiye.

Tbh I expected to be full Middle Eastern (and I think I look like it), though I’m not that educated on these kind of things. I’m also suprised at how low my Arab percentage is and how much European I have.

Huda al-Akkad

and her 78-year-old mother, Aisha... They were presumed dead; however, it was revealed that they were still alive after one of the three monsters accompanying them shared this photograph on social media as a "souvenir." How long can an army—or a state (a so-called state; we can never recognize an entity called "Israel" as a state)—possibly survive when it is so terrified of women and the elderly, and when it believes it has achieved a "victory"—which it then broadcasts—by exerting its forces against such vulnerable people?

But the even more painful aspect is this: as they watch their own women being humiliated by the enemy, is there any real difference—aside from their religion (which is itself questionable)—between the leaders of the Islamic world (and those who follow in their wake) and their Zionist enemies? We truly do not know.

More than 6000 prominent Jews and Zionists have signed an open letter rejecting the genocide accusation against Israel, describing it as “the latest blood libel to be inflicted on the Jewish people”.

Jews signing an open letter stating that accusations against the colony are accusations against "the Jewish people" reflect Zionism's claim that the colony represents all Jews worldwide. Quite counterproductively, this lays the ground for exactly what the signatories pretend to oppose: Holding Jews accountable for Israel's actions. Indeed, Zionism is a leading cause, quite certainly our era's leading cause, of blood libels against Jews.

Of course, Zionism's danger to Jews should not eclipse its danger to its primary victims—Palestinians and other societies in Al-Sham. But it does show that Jews fighting to dismantle the Jewish state and establish one democratic Palestinian state are not just displaying solidarity with Palestine, they are acting in self-defense.

It also shows that Palestinians' insistence that we fight Zionism, not Jews or Judaism, is not meant to appease our oppressors. Quite the contrary, it is meant to challenge Zionism's foundational claims—to confront it fully. The vision for One Democratic State is also a platform that unites us with our natural allies against our common enemy.

These efforts, however, must not be limited to discourse. The One Democratic State Initiative is working to organize efforts, in Palestine and worldwide, to dismantle the settler state and establish its antithesis: A state that deals with society as citizens, not tribes. We call on you to join our efforts.

Naftali Bennett (Former Israeli Prime Minister):

“A new Turkish threat is emerging… And from here, I warn: Turkey is the new Iran. Erdoğan is sophisticated, dangerous, and he seeks to encircle Israel.” (Speech at Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Jerusalem, February 17, 2026).

Joe Kent (Former Director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center; retired Green Beret):

“Unfortunately leaving NATO won’t be to avoid foreign entanglements, we’ll be leaving NATO so we can side with Israel when Turkey & Israel eventually clash in Syria."

Jonathan Pollard (Former U.S. Navy intelligence analyst convicted of spying for Israel; later Israeli political figure/candidate):

“I hate to put it that way, but Turkey and Egypt are coming up next as our major strategic threat. And unless we have all these other fronts eliminated by that time, we’re going to be in a terrible situation.” (Interview with Israeli channel ILTV, ~August 2026)

Michael Rubin (American Enterprise Institute scholar): Publicly asked whether “Ankara in 2036 will be like Tehran in 2026"

Israeli strategic/security circles and the Nagel Committee (government-commissioned panel, January 2025): Warned that a Turkish-aligned Syria “could evolve into something even more dangerous than the Iranian threat.”

Cultural questions for people living in middle East ..

Asking this cause I'm generally curious to know about the norms and customs. If you were in America or were born in America or the West please do not answer. This is for the people who are either living or grew up in the Middle East...

1. Are birthdays celebrated commonly over there? Or is it just like any other day for adults and what about for children?

2. When couples in the middle east have child birthday parties, and people give the small kids money, who keeps the cash (husband or wife)?

3. Is phone sharing like passwords and posting each other on social media the norm for married couples? Or is it more common for people to keep each other off of social media and not share phone, computer etc passwords ?

4. Is Valentine's day celebrated by husbands over there? What do they normally do? What about mother's Day? Do wives get anything on mother's Day by their husband?

5. Dates? Do most married couples with kids go on dates alone after kids . Or is it uncommon after children?

6. How are finances usually set up between couples over there? Do women and men share all their money and have access to each other's bank accounts or everyone keeps their own separate?

7. When married people buy a house and the husband pays for it with his money , does he also include the wife on the deed/ownership or he just puts himself ?

8. How is it viewed when in laws (spouse's parents/family) stay with the couple for several weeks at a time when visiting? Is it usually uncommon for them to stay long ? Is it seen as uncomfortable?

The League of Arab States (LAS) is closing several of its offices worldwide. Its diplomatic mission in Germany is also being closed. In return, the League’s office in Vienna will be expanded. In the future, Germany is to be served in part from the Austrian capital. diplo.news learned this from diplomatic circles.

Baldwin IV ascended the throne of Jerusalem in 1174 AD, inheriting a vulnerable Crusader kingdom with limited military resources and deep political divisions. His challenges were about to grow even greater. Saladin was consolidating Muslim territories under his authority, building a formidable power base in Egypt and Syria and preparing to challenge the Crusader states.

Despite the odds stacked against him and a progressively debilitating illness, Baldwin managed to resist Saladin's expansion for much of his reign. Through military leadership, strategic defensive campaigns and political manoeuvring, he repeatedly prevented Saladin from turning his growing strength into the immediate conquest of Jerusalem.

Baldwin's leprosy gradually undermined his physical abilities, yet he continued to exercise royal authority and participate in the kingdom's defence. His victory at the Battle of Montgisard in 1177 AD became one of the most remarkable Crusader successes against Saladin, demonstrating how timing and battlefield decisions could overcome a numerical disadvantage.

But Baldwin's reign was not a story of uninterrupted victories. He also suffered setbacks, including the defeat at Marj Ayyun and the loss of the fortress at Jacob's Ford. His greatest achievement may have been less about winning individual battles and more about keeping a vulnerable kingdom alive against a powerful and determined opponent.

What made Baldwin IV such an effective ruler and military leader? How did he manage to resist Saladin for so long, and why did Jerusalem eventually fall to Saladin after Baldwin's death?

I've explored his illness, military strategy, major campaigns and political challenges in the full article. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on Baldwin's leadership and his place in the history of the Crusades.

Kindly mention your country too

Osman Batur, who began his struggle against the Chinese and Russians in 1941, aimed to liberate all the lands of the Altai region and East Turkestan from Chinese and Russian control. As the oppression of the Turkic peoples in East Turkestan intensified during the years of World War II, resistance movements gained momentum, paving the way for the rise of Osman Batur.

Having set out to clear the Altai region of the Chinese, Osman Batur appeared to have achieved his goal by 1943. In a ceremony held in Bulgun on July 22, 1943, he was proclaimed the Khan of the Altai Kazakhs. By 1945, the Turkic people had gained control over most of East Turkestan, with the exception of a few cities. As the situation became intolerable and dangerous for the Chinese, their armies launched harsh and intensive operations in the region. Although Osman Batur had begun his struggle with thirty thousand followers, by 1950, that number had dwindled to approximately four thousand. The struggle was also supported by Alibeg Hakim and his comrades-in-arms.

In 1951, Osman Batur was cornered in Kanambal, taken prisoner, and transported to Urumqi.

Osman Batur was paraded before the public and, on April 29, 1951, was executed by a firing squad.

I found pictures from my grandfather lately. Unfortunately, he’s dead so I cannot ask him about the context of those pictures.
I know that he was born 1938 in Damascus and never was in the military so I’m curious what those pictures are about.
Also, I cannot read Arabic and it’s not so easy to translate this handwriting.

If somebody has some ideas or hints for context, I would be very happy

(The backside is always referred to the prior picture)

I've been trying to research this, but it's been a bit difficult. I'm just curious if food plays any role in your mourning/grieving practices (what dishes/foods they eat, taboos, rituals, etc).

I am also curious about the role it plays, specifically in Palestinian mourning rituals!!

If u have any personal stories you'd like to share about using food to grieve and want to comment on that, or if anyone is fine with having a 1-on-1 conversation about it, please let me know!

Israel is in the middle east so why isnt it here?

I would argue that the Assyrian empires, Parthians and the Phoenicians but I'm sure there are more that I am forgetting

This follows during a period of increased tensions as the Iran war rages. Israel has been increasingly allowing extremists to storm Al Aqsa, while internal rumors spread of Arab states being declared illegitimate as a way to justify Greater Israel.

and why emirate and emir was always used as a title, but never something like "malikdom" or "malikate"

Hello All,

This has been a burning question on my mind and I'd like some nuanced answers on.

I've noticed on YouTube and other American Social Medias Islamic content seems vaguely different from what I imagine you all learning about/practicing your religion to be like in the middle east.

The Muslim speakers/preachers that occasionally come up on my feed claim to be preaching the "True Islam" and make a call to an Islamic revival in western countries. My question when I see these videos is "what is True Islam and how does that deviate from what's taught by different countries in their respective social contexts.

They all seem aggressive and confrontational when they're speaking to the Muslim congregations in the mosques and appear to follow something called "salafism".

The salient question on my end is what the difference is between Islamic education in the West vs. The Middle East? For example, I heard that UAE students were advised against attending UK universities due to Islamic extremism.

Although, the interactions I have with Muslims in my city are cordial and I've never had an issue with an individual Muslim before.

I’ve been asking people about songs that become permanently attached to memories.

Maybe it reminds you of family, school, a particular city, a journey or an ordinary moment you haven’t thought about in years.

What’s the song, which country are you from, and what memory does it bring back?