Today in Islamophobia

In the United States, Religious News Service contributor Yonat Shimron commemorates the life and legacy of the late Dr. John L. Esposito, ACMCU & The Bridge Initiative’s Founding Director, meanwhile in Australia, the Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia Aftab Malik says the government’s partial approval of 35 of his 54 recommendations will not deter him from advocating for the remaining recommendations, and lastly in the United States, the president of Wisconsin’s largest mosque said he was subjected to “dehumanizing” treatment during more than 80 days in federal immigration custody. Our recommended read of the day is by Halim Rane for Religion & Ethics on how the Australian government’s antisemitism plan commits to binding legal and institutional reforms aimed at eliminating the problem, whereas its Islamophobia response leans on education and support measures that help Muslims cope with racism rather than dismantle its causes. This and more below:

Australia

Why isn’t the government committed to eliminating Islamophobia? | Recommended Read

The Australian government has now responded to two major forms of racism. In December 2025, it released its response for “eliminating” antisemitism and last week 18 July 2026 came its long-awaited response for “combatting” Islamophobia. The difference is more than semantic. It reflects two distinct levels of ambition, and raises an obvious question: why is the federal government prepared to pursue the elimination of one form of racism, but not the other? The plan for Eliminating Antisemitism commits the government to coordinated national action, legislative reform, institutional accountability and compliance mechanisms. Properly implemented, much of its enforcement should fall squarely on neo-Nazis, organised hate groups and explicit antisemites already outside the bounds of mainstream democratic discourse. By contrast, the government’s response for Combatting Islamophobia concentrates heavily on education, community resilience, reporting, research, mental-health support and engagement with Muslim communities. These initiatives are valuable but, as Muslim Votes Matter has observed, the response is “far more focused on helping Muslim Australians endure Islamophobia than on dismantling what causes it”. read the complete article

Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia speaks to the ABC

The Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia Aftab Malik says the government's partial approval of 35 of his 54 recommendations will not deter him from advocating for the remaining recommendations. A boost to education and awareness of Islamophobia in addition to increased mental health support for victims are among the recommendations already accepted by the government. read the complete article

‘Won't stand for it’: Journalist booed after comparing Pauline Hanson's stance on Muslim migration to White Australia policy

After discussing her rejection of the White Australia policy, Dore then asked about her specific view on Muslim migration. “Chris, at the moment, we've got 18,000 people on the ASIO watch list. We've got a real problem that's growing in this country of radicalisation,” Ms Hanson said. “I don't want people coming to this country from radical Islamic countries. I don't want that here. I want to protect the Australian people. During an interview with British anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson, published last week, Ms Hanson suggested many of Australia's migration issues stemmed from the end of the White Australia policy. “Well, it started in 1973 with Gough Whitlam, so they opened up and got rid of the White Australia policy. Then they started bringing in the different migrants,” she said. read the complete article

United States

John Esposito, scholar who fought against misconceptions of Islam, dies

Public opinion of Islam has zigzagged dramatically over the past 50 years between those who have characterized it as a violent faith fundamentally opposed to Western values and those who have sought to understand Islam’s plurality, diversity and complexity as practiced in the lives of Muslims. Among the latter was John Esposito, one of the foremost non-Muslim scholars of Islam, who died July 15 at the age of 86 following complications from heart surgery. Esposito, who was professor emeritus of religion, international affairs and Islamic studies at Georgetown University, was distinguished for his careful scholarship that sought to correct Western misconceptions about Islam. In as many as 55 books and a lifetime of teaching, he challenged the “Clash of Civilizations” theory of Islam as proposed by scholars Samuel Huntington and Bernard Lewis. Esposito sought to build bridges between Westerners and Muslims, becoming a go-to source for sensitive and nuanced portrayals of Islam among journalists, diplomats, foreign policy advisers and scholars. read the complete article

Muslim leader speaks out after more than 80 days in ICE detention: ‘It brought back memories from Palestine’

The president of Wisconsin’s largest mosque said he was subjected to “dehumanizing” treatment during more than 80 days in federal immigration custody – treatment that reminded him of the time he spent in Israeli military prisons in occupied Palestine nearly four decades ago. “It all brought back old memories of things that happened to me when I was tried in Palestine,” said Salah Sarsour in his first interview since being released last month. “The humiliation, the treatment by guards, the way they talk to people, the way they try to put people down.” He said he lost more than 30lb while in immigration detention. Sarsour, who was born in the West Bank and has been a US permanent resident for nearly three decades, was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement in March and released after a federal judge found he had probably been detained in retaliation of his advocacy for Palestinian rights – a likelihood the judge said would render his detention unlawful. The Trump administration is continuing to seek his deportation and Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, personally signed off on a memo last year describing Sarsour as deportable, because “his actions undermine US foreign policy to combat antisemitism around the world”. read the complete article

The Muslim American experience with Sabeen Sadiq and Aida Alami

The Muslim American community is not a monolith—it’s one of the most diverse in the country, with individuals coming from different racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds. Yet despite that diversity, Muslim Americans have shared similar experiences in the post-9/11 context, one that largely involved issues of identity, belonging, and Islamophobia. Today we have Sabeen Sadiq, a stand-up comic, actor, and writer based in New York, and Aida Alami, a Moroccan reporter who has written extensively on Muslims and Islamophobia. Together, they created Storytellers: Muslims, Community, and Culture in America, a documentary that captures Muslims’ lived experiences—weaving in stories about Islam in America and how Muslims were impacted in their day-to-day lives following 9/11. As we mark 250 years of American independence this year, it’s worth noting that the documentary specifically highlights the influence and integral role Muslims have played throughout American history. And while it touches on heavy topics like racism, Islamophobia, and government surveillance, it incorporates comedy into vibrant storytelling—conveying to the listener an authentic and natural portrayal of what it means to be Muslim American. read the complete article

Israel

Netanyahu Ad Uses a Questionable Tactic Against Bereaved Rival

At first glance, it was the latest in a long line of anti-Arab campaign ads from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel. An A.I.-generated video that Mr. Netanyahu posted Monday night showed his leading rival in the upcoming election, Gadi Eisenkot, rushing through an idyllic meadow past the outstretched arms of a young man wearing a T-shirt saying “Israeli unity,” to instead embrace Mansour Abbas, the Arab-Israeli lawmaker who heads an Islamic party. The point, which Mr. Netanyahu and his right-wing Likud party have driven home in at least a dozen other ads since June as Mr. Eisenkot has surged in the polls, was visceral and obvious. It is aimed at Jewish voters who — whether traumatized by the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, concerned about national security, or just plain racist — cannot abide the thought of their next government relying even partly on the support of an Arab political party to form a ruling coalition. read the complete article

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