Pope Leo Is Invited to Join Trump's Board of Peace

Speaking to the press on Wednesday, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin confirmed that Pope Leo XIV has been invited by President Donald Trump to join the Board of Peace for Gaza.  According to Vatican News:

Turning to the topic of the Board of Peace for Gaza, the Cardinal reflected on how President Trump is inviting a number of countries to participate.

“I believe I read in the newspaper this morning that Italy, too, is considering whether or not to join,” he continued, “We also received the invitation to the Board of Peace for Gaza; the Pope has received it, and we are considering what to do.”

He argued, “It is an issue that requires some time to be properly assessed and to provide a response.”

Speaking about the Board of Peace for Gaza, the Cardinal said that the Holy See would not take part financially, noting, “We are not even in a position to do so.”

However, he pointed out that the Vatican is in a different situation from other countries, and therefore the analysis will be different. But, the Cardinal said, “I believe the request will not be for economic participation.”

Fatwa Council Condemns Hamas Action In Gaza

 The Islamic Fatwa Council, a non-governmental religious body based in Najaf in Iraq, describes itself as

... the first global governing judicial body specializing in deducing Fatwas from indisputable and moderate Islamic references. The IFC transcends borders and continents as its jurists and legal scholars come from all Islamic denominations and sects, reinforcing the credibility and legality of the issued verdict. It is a representative legal body of all sects of Islam, critical for denouncing and opposing all forms of violent verdicts and hateful public statements.

Last week, the Council issued a Fatwa condemning Hamas as a terrorist organization. Fatwa F2301 (full text) provides in part:

 ... The Islamic Fatwa Council has reviewed extensive documentation of Hamas behavior toward Palestinians in Gaza.... Our findings ... result in our ruling that:

A) Hamas bears responsibility for its own reign of corruption and terror against Palestinian civilians within Gaza;

B) It is prohibited to pray for, join, support, finance, or fight on behalf of Hamas-- an entity that adheres to the ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood movement.

Furthermore, the Islamic Fatwa Council joins the UAE Fatwa Council and the Council of Senior Scholars of Saudi Arabia in declaring the Muslim Brotherhood movement and all of its branches as terrorist organizations that defame Islam and operate in opposition to mainstream Islamic unity, theology and jurisprudence.

Fox News reports on the Council's action. Fatwa Council officials comment on the Fatwa.

Interesting RFRA Case Involving Proof of Infant's Citizenship

Sabra v. Pompeo, (D DC, April 2, 2020), is an unusual RFRA case.  Mohammed Sabra and his wife Ponn Sabra are United States Citizens.  Here are Mrs. Sabra's claims, as recounted by the court:

In September 2018, Mrs. Sabra moved from the United States to Gaza with her three daughters because her two eldest daughters attend college there.... After arriving in Gaza, Mrs. Sabra discovered that she was pregnant with Baby M....  Mrs. Sabra decided to stay in Gaza to be close to Mr. Sabra’s family there....

In 2019, Baby M was born at home in Gaza just after intense bombing was going on in Gaza City.  In June 2019, Mrs Sabra contacted the U.S. embassy in Israel seeking an emergency appointment at the Erez Crossing to obtain a Counselor Report of Birth Abroad and a passport for Baby M.  The parents indicated that they needed to seek medical treatment for Baby M in the United States.  Because Mrs. Sabra was 46 years old, the consulate insisted on additional evidence establishing that she was in fact the baby's mother.  The embassy ultimately insisted on photos of Mrs. Sabra during her pregnancy and DNA testing of Baby M.  However the Sabra's, who are Muslim, objected:

... Mr. Sabra has a “strong religious hesitation” to DNA testing, whereas Mrs. Sabra has an “absolute religious objection” to the DNA testing of Baby M.... With respect to the photographs, Plaintiff’s counsel confirmed that there are two photographs of Mrs. Sabra during the pregnancy, but Mr. and Mrs. Sabra refuse to provide those photographs to the Embassy based on religious objections..... The basis ... is that the photographs are “very personal,” they were “taken in an intimate in-house setting with just the family,” and “for religious views, [they] should [not] be seen by anyone outside of the family ever.”

In an 87-page opinion that deals with a number of other issues as well, the court refused to dismiss plaintiffs' RFRA claims, saying in part:

There is a genuine dispute as to whether the Embassy’s request for the DNA testing and Mrs. Sabra’s pregnancy photographs served a compelling interest by the least restrictive means.