The Right Is Stirring Up Anti-Muslim Hate, And It's Getting Worse | Ash Sarkar Meets Myriam François

Quick Overview

Myriam François and Ash Sarkar discuss the rise of anti-Muslim hate in the UK, the political significance versus the reality of Western recognition of Palestine amid ongoing Israeli actions, and the parallels between the language used against Palestinians and historical genocide rhetoric, such as in Bosnia.

Key Points: The recognition of Palestine by the UK and other Western nations is symbolically important for the PA but occurs simultaneously with the ethnic cleansing of Gaza and the largest expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, potentially serving only to "salvage the idea of a two-state solution" that maintains an expanding apartheid state. Human rights organizations, like Amnesty International, confirm that the legal system applied to Palestinians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza meets the legal definition of apartheid, characterized by a completely different legal system where the conviction rate in military courts reaches 99%. François's politicization regarding Palestine is deeply rooted in her family history, noting parallels between the occupation in Ireland and Palestine, and was solidified when she lived in the West Bank during the Second Intifada and witnessed or experienced violence while wearing hijab. The language used to demonize Muslims in Europe, such as labeling them as 'vermin' or 'scum' needing extermination, mirrors the propaganda used in the Bosnian genocide, which François documented, highlighting that many Europeans were unaware of the genocide of Bosnian Muslims because of their Muslimness. François challenges the idea of the exceptionalism of the Holocaust, citing Mahmud Mamdani's interpretation of 'never again'—either for 'me and my people' or 'never again to anyone'—and argues that the lesson should apply to all marginalized groups, including political opponents. François notes that the UK political class, including Labour, fails to match rhetoric with action regarding Palestine, continuing to provide arms and intelligence to Israel despite strong public opinion shifts against Israeli actions, reflecting a broader disconnect from democratic mechanisms. François describes her journey to Islam at age 19 as a confirmation and expansion of existing monotheistic Abrahamic principles, rejecting the notion that converting from Christianity involved abandoning culture or rejecting prior messages.