RELIGION HEADLINES

(SRN NEWS) – Israel is closing its embassy in Ireland over the latter country’s support for the Palestinians.  The decision to close the embassy comes in response to what Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar describes as Ireland’s extreme anti-Israel policies.  Earlier this year, Israel recalled its ambassador to Dublin after Ireland announced, along with Norway, Spain and Slovenia, that it would recognize a Palestinian state.  Sarr says “Ireland has crossed every red line in its relations with Israel.”  Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris calls the decision to close the embassy regrettable.

The University of Michigan has fired its director of academic multicultural initiatives for making anti-Semitic statements.  Rachel Dawson is accused of telling colleagues that “Jews control the university” and that Jewish students should not have access to diversity programs because “they are wealthy and privileged and take care of themselves”.  Dawson is also quoted as saying that Jews have no genetic DNA connection to the land of Israel.  There are also questions about how the university is pursuing its diversity, equity and inclusion agenda.

Another Japanese court has ruled that the country’s ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional.  The decision by the court in southern Japan marks the eighth victory out of nine rulings since the first group of LGBT plaintiffs filed lawsuits in 2019.  Two more high court rulings are pending in Osaka and Nagoya, and are expected in March.  Asia is generally a more traditional region when it comes to social norms, but LGBT activists and the U.N. have been pressuring all countries there to legalize gay marriage.  Taiwan and Thailand have done so.

Christians in Syria are warily celebrating the ouster of strongman Bashar Assad, even as they wonder what the new regime will bring.  Many Syrian Christians, who made up 10 percent of the population before Syria’s civil war, either fled the country or supported Assad out of fear of Islamist insurgents. Syria’s new leaders are being urged to respect the rights of religious minorities and women, in return for the lifting of international sanctions against the country.  Persecution of Christians in Syria has been common for many decades.