The Gaza Peace Board, Pakistan’s Terror Crisis, and the Fight to Defeat Islamism

In Episode 26 of Shabbat Shalom & Jumma Mubarak, hosts Anila Ali and Wajid Ali Syed take on the proposed Gaza Peace Board — who may serve on it, and whether it can help establish lasting peace while ensuring Hamas can never again terrorize Israelis or Palestinians.

The conversation ranges across Israel, Gaza, the Palestinians, Hamas, and the wider Middle East, with particular attention to the responsibility of Arab countries to help reverse the ideological damage caused by decades of funding and legitimizing Islamist movements.

Anila Ali

@anilaali

Wajid Ali Syed

@wajidasyed

Pakistan’s Return to the Top of the Global Terrorism Index

The episode also turns to South Asia, where Pakistan ranked as the country most affected by terrorism in the 2026 Global Terrorism Index. Ali and Syed discuss a Congressional Research Service report that has reminded American lawmakers Pakistan remains both a base of operations and a target for numerous militant organizations.

Islamism is not Islam, and Muslims must lead the effort to defeat it. — Episode 26, Shabbat Shalom & Jumma Mubarak

The hosts ask what this resurgence means for Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities, both at home and across the diaspora — arguing that moderate Muslims must speak with moral clarity, reject extremism, and confront the ideology connecting many radical organizations.

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