Rabbi Schneier’s Arab News Op-eds

Sport – A Unique Platform for Furthering Social Cohesion and Combating Hate

Posted on February 20, 2024

Professional sports attract enormous viewing audiences in countries around the world. They have the power to inspire collaboration and friendship between athletes of diverse races, religions and nationalities, who then inspire the building of friendships and understanding between fans of divergent backgrounds.

No surprises in Saudi desire for two-state solution

Posted on January 29, 2024

On Sept. 22, 2023, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood triumphantly at the podium of the UN General Assembly and proclaimed to the world, including those so-called pundits who doubted his peacemaking ability and acumen, that the Abraham Accords, signed by Israel with the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan in 2020, had “heralded the dawn of a new age of peace.” Then he asserted boldly: “But I believe we are at the cusp of an even more dramatic breakthrough: an historic peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia.”

World Expo 2030: Saudi Arabia is a world leader on interreligious cooperation

Posted on October 6, 2023

Count me as a passionate supporter for electing Riyadh as the host city for the 2030 World Expo, under the motto “The Era of Change: Together for a Foresighted Tomorrow.” Rarely, if ever, has a candidate city to host the World Expo contributed more profoundly in terms of innovative ideas and landmark projects to a Continue Reading »

Muslims and Jews Must Join Forces to Fight Climate Change

Posted on September 26, 2023

We have just entered the month-long season of the Jewish High Holy Days, which began with the onset of Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, to be followed by Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, which is the principle Jewish day of fasting. The two holidays are a time for every Jew to undertake a Continue Reading »

Passover Means Rebirth, Now As Much As Ever

Posted on April 5, 2023

Passover is the holiday celebrating the birth of the Jewish nation, a recounting of how God delivered the ancient Israelites from their enslavement in Egypt and allowed them to prosper for thousands of years as a people.

How Saudi-Iran Accord Can Be An Opportunity for Israel

Posted on March 23, 2023

The recent diplomatic breakthrough between Saudi Arabia and Iran could be seen as an opportunity for the state of Israel, far from the account commonly encountered in the Western and Israeli press.

Rasmus Paludan Protest: Burning the Qur’an is Not ‘free speech’

Posted on February 2, 2023

It is not just Muslims who should be offended. Everyone with an interest in dialogue and coexistence should join in the condemnation of the recent burning of a Qur’an by right-wing activists in Sweden.

Abraham Accords No Escape From Palestinian Question

Posted on January 12, 2023

Israel’s new government is sparking unease about the future of the Abraham Accords, given its inclusion of ministers who have exhibited a history of hard-line nationalist positions and little inclination to soften their views. But all is not lost: There is ample time to reignite momentum around normalization, if the government understands that regional rapprochement will not be possible at the expense of the Palestinians.

Embracing America’s Political Complexity is the Best Approach

Posted on November 29, 2022

The results of this month’s midterm elections in the US shocked many of America’s closest political observers both here and abroad, as the Democrats significantly outperformed expectations during a cycle when the president’s party usually suffers at the polls.

Bahrain is a Beacon of Religious Tolerance and Coexistence

Posted on October 28, 2022

The eyes of the faithful around the world will focus on the small Arabian Gulf kingdom of Bahrain on Nov. 3-4 as it hosts a historic conference entitled the “Bahrain Forum for Dialogue: East and West for Human Coexistence.”

Indelible Interfaith Progress Has Been Made in Last Year

Posted on October 3, 2022

Last week marked the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah, ushering in the new year. It is a time of reflection on all that has occurred over these past months and all that the future can bring, but it is also a time of self-examination that requires deep soul-searching by each individual.

Jewish Cemetery Reconstruction Hints at Yemen’s True Form

Posted on September 19, 2022

It is in times of crisis and conflict that we reveal our character most clearly. This is true today in Yemen, where even the promise of a truce brokered largely by the UN, the US and Saudi Arabia has yet to cement peace or accelerate reconstruction. To do these things, Yemenis must also rebuild the bonds of faith and community that allow any society to thrive.