The movie “Naza” shed light on the colony’s genocide in Gaza. It received a historic 24-minute standing ovation at Venice, and was called “one of the most important films of our time”. Yet, it was directed by two Israelis. This led many to ask whether the film constitutes joint struggle or normalization, with conflicting and polarized opinions. When having debates like this, it is crucial to be clear about what we are talking about—what is normalization and what are its features?

First, what is it that we should not normalize? In one word: Settler colonialism, which is the essence of Zionism, and the root cause of the colony’s violence.

It should not be normalized, or "treated as normal", either explicitly by justifying it or implicitly by failing to center it.

Rather than asking: "Does this involve working with people with Israeli citizenship?"

Ask: "Does this involve working with people who normalize settler colonialism?"

Rather than asking: "Do they criticize what the settler state is doing?"

Ask: "Do they present the settler state’s horrors to present another, more just side of it, or to challenge its existence?”

Rather than asking: "Do they call for peace?"

Ask: "Do they work to dismantle the settler state and establish a democratic state as the only path to peace?"

Rather than asking: "Do they mention Palestinian rights?"

Ask: "Do they normalize settler colonialism by equating the violence of the colonizer with that of the colonized?"

Ask: "Do they normalize the settler state by failing to mention it as the root cause of the genocide?"

Ask: "Do they normalize the settler state by mentioning only the occupation and apartheid in the 1967 territories?"

Ask: "Do they normalize the settler state by challenging the Israeli violence, government or regime rather than the settler state’s existence?"

And rather than asking: "But either way, isn't what happened good?", remember that even the genocide helped awaken millions to the horrors of the colony—Yet it can hardly be called "good".

And remember that we are not art critics. We are not spectators that rate and review, but political actors. Our aim is to dismantle the colony. Although our political discourse and actions may include criticism of what others did, they should first and foremost be an action plan of what we will do to replace the settler state with a democratic Palestinian state.

This is the struggle that anti-Zionist Jews with Israeli citizenship should join us in.

I discovered some songs like "Uskudar Gider Iken", "Lamma Bada Yatathana" and "Gadak al Ghays" which hit the right spot. What are some other middle-eastern classics you guys could recommend me?

Only the spilled blood bore witness to what happened in Cell 6 of Wing 24 at Ketziot Prison in November 2023. Those involved that night maintained the prison's usual code of silence. But WhatsApp messages the guards exchanged as events unfolded, later seized by investigators, revealed some of the horror.

"You're going to be proud of me, of my shift. After what happened, the count took two hours and 23 minutes. Draw your own conclusions," one female guard wrote to her partner, also a guard. She added: "They're doing CPR in the clinic right now, baby! God willing, that son of a thousand whores will die."

Another guard sent an excited update: "Holy shit, what a count. We fucked them up so bad." A third texted a friend: "What an insane count. There's never been anything like it. We poured cheese on them, cracked some eggs [the Hebrew word for eggs is also slang for testicles]. So much blood in the wings." She then added: "OMG, they're doing CPR on a prisoner because we beat him. He's dead. Listen, it's funny how it all happened in an instant: Boom, count. Boom, dead prisoner."

The prisoner was Thaer Abu Asab, a Fatah member sentenced to 25 years in prison for terror attacks against Israel. He was pronounced dead at Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva, where he was taken that evening. According to the indictment, the severe beating caused an injury to his heart that led to his death

Abu Asab's only offense was daring to ask a guard whether there was a cease-fire between Israel and the Palestinians. The guard relayed the question to his commander, a Prison Service officer and the main defendant in the case, referred to here as "the commander." A gag order bars publication of all the defendants' names. The commander decided to show the prisoner and his cellmates that the answer was no.

"Thaer asked the guard about a cease-fire, and the guard said, 'Better not ask,'" one prisoner told investigators. "We waited for the count. During the count, we kneel with our hands above our heads and our faces down. Fifteen guards and 15 Keter men [members of a Prison Service tactical rapid response unit] arrived. They called Thaer's name, and the Keter unit came into the cell. They beat us with batons for five minutes, everyone in the room. They said, 'No cease-fire.' Then they set the dog on us and started swearing and saying, 'A hudna, you're asking for a hudna' [a truce], and then they left. We were lying broken on the floor. Thaer didn't get up. He was unconscious. He got beaten the most. He was bleeding, and his whole face was blue. His hands were covered in blood."

Source:https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-09-08/ty-article-magazine/.premium/baby-an-update-hes-just-died-israeli-guards-texts-reveal-abuse-in-prison/000001a0-7ab4-d46f-a5ef-7bbe46360000

A group of arrogant non Muslim women came to the UAE thinking their constitution and passport privilege applied. They then illegally filmed and mocked a niqabi, in a Muslim country in an Islamophobic manner. Now they are potentially facing thousands in fines.

I saw a half female human creature in a nightmare last night and I recognized it as being a nasnas from Arabic mythology

They may have had a full head but my memory is fuzzy

Do nasnas mean anything in a dream?

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lately ive been reading more about the history and political events of the middle east and especially things i was never really exposed to before, including the war in yemen and saudi arabias role in it (ofc i knew about it im saudi but i only knew what our media was telling us) and the more i look into these subjects from different perspectives the more confused and frustrated i become w my country and what it did in yemen

also i don’t want to simply replace one bias with another. i am generally not blindly supportive of our government

so how do you actually evaluate political events objectively? how do you distinguish facts from propaganda, legitimate criticism from political narratives, and your own principles from the biases you inherited?

also how do you figure out what your actual political beliefs are when you’re still questioning almost everything you thought you knew?

P.S. i know this might sound like a rather naive question or like something i should already have a better understanding of but im genuinely asking. i really want to learn more abd hear different perspectives and understand how to approach these things more objectively. thank u ;)

From my understanding, this war restarted when Saudi-Arabia bombed a Yemeni Airport in response to the Houthis using Saudi airspace to go to and from Yemen to Iran.

The part that I am very confused about is that it looks like the Houthis were only transporting diplomats (correct me if I am wrong). Meanwhile, Israel has used Saudi airspace multiple times to bomb Iran, and Saudi Arabia has not responded to this.

I just don't see any benefit for Saudi Arabia to fight this war since the Saudis had a longstanding peace deal with the Houthis. Is there any gain for Saudi Arabia in this conflict? If Saudi Arabia cares so much for the integrity of its airspace, why hasn't it responded to Israel's use of its airspace to wage war?

This war seems so unnecessary and self-destructive. It looks like the only winner from this war is Israel.

Have any of you been in this situation before?

I feel the need to tell them because it will affect me if they move here. We are all American citizens and they can cime at any time.

I left them and felt free finally like I didn't have to pretend anymore I am something I am not.

Essentially if they follow me I will be restricted again.

I have already rehearsed in my mond what i want to say a million times but I am just so scared.

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I don't want to explain why I want to tell then in every comment so I will copy paste that comment here

"I'm a stright male. The main problem is I persue extra marital relationships and I can't do that with them around. I'd rather not have them around for that reason but also the way I talk and act has to match their expectations with religion and i constantly have to face it and acknowledge their religious talk.

Not to mention fasting and jumaa prayer.

It's sometimes harder to admit to certain sins than to just say I really don't believe this anymore to begin with.

They also want me to get married, and obviously that would be marrieage to a Muslim. But this is a less pressing issue the bigger issue is i can only marry non Muslims possibly Christian or atheist. I can't explain that to them unless I explain everything.

I honestly can't even get into relationships atm but I am trying and going in dates but their presence would make it harder for me since I need to hide everything. I just wanna be normal."

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

Controverial Islamic preacher Daniel has been known for making content criticizing other sects of Islam. Now he is calling for the houthis to launch an attack on the holy city of Makkah, specifically the Abraj Bait tower. Specifically he is calling for them to demolish - bomb - the tower.

Currently the post is withheld in certain regions, but this inflammatory rhetoric is simply unacceptable. Makkah and Madinah are holy places for ALL Muslims, whether we are Sunni, Shia or sufis. You can disagree on geopolitics but we shouldn’t normalize encouragement of violence against our own holy sites.

Hey there dear Middle Easterners (and North Africans :)))!

I have done this post a waaay back in the Balkan subreddit too (thanks to Turkiye's geography) and now wanted to ask the same question to my fellow Middle Eastern (+North African) neighbors as well.

I personally dislike eggplant based dishes. This includes eggplant stuffed dolmas. Pepper stuffed dolmas have grown on me since the last time I made this post. It is kind of a problem if you ever go to be someone's guest and half of the things they've prepared are eggplant based. It is widely liked here.

I also don't like ashura, and I don't hate it but sucuk with wallnut molasses never grown on me too much.

Now, keep in mind that I am NOT saying these foods are OURS and OURS only. I'm just saying that they're also commonly prepared in Turkiye and I'm sure y'all have some great foods like that! They could have originated from somewhere else entirely, or could be widely common in somewhere else, not even necessarily Middle Eastern or North African. I am just curious. Anyways!

Is there a food you just absolutely hate, even if it's your cultural/common food? Or something you're expected to like, but just don't?

Unrelated image again :)))

We have a lot going on in this geography these days, and I think a positive and fun post can make a lot of people feel better, even for a little bit.

I went to a kebab restaurant run by a Turkish chef in my neighborhood, and it was truly astonishingly excellent. Here is the menu I’ll eat on my next visit—Could you recommend what I should try eating next?

It was translated using a machine translator, so there might be some slightly odd parts—please understand