Skip to content
  • Image
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Podcasts
  • Email
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Opinion
  • News
  • Features
  • Comment
  • Store
The Arab Daily News

The Arab Daily News

Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem

  • About
    • About
    • Our Writers
    • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
    • Book Store
    • Contact
    • Submit Book Reviews, Press Releases
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Corrections Policy
    • Profile on Ray Hanania
    • Submit Press Release
  • Features
    • Food
    • Book Review
    • Humor
    • Movies
    • Travel
  • Arab Stores Targeted
  • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Heritage America resources
    • Directory
      • Groups & Organizations
      • Mosques, Churches
      • Restaurants
      • 2008 & 2014 Arab Media Directories
    • National Arab Heritage Month
    • Video: Chicago Arab History
    • Video: Photo Array of Chicago Arabs
    • Overview of Arabs in America
    • Hanania standup comedy
    • Arabs on the Titanic
    • Obituaries
  • Podcasts
    • Arab News Ray Hanania Radio
    • Ray Hanania on Politics Podcast
    • Podcast Info
    • Hanania Podcast intro
    • Live Arab Radio
  • Your Views
  • Hanania on Tiktok
  • Toggle search form
  • Arab Democratic Club Feb 12, 2023 Forum & Brunch flier
    Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12 American Arabs
  • The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced Dr. Manal Fakhoury has been elected to the position of Chair of the National Board of Directors, and that attorneys Spojmie Nasiri of California and John Floyd of Texas have joined the organization’s National Board.
    CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd American Arabs
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC: Honor Dr. King Day with Civility, Unity, and Action American Arabs
  • Citgo Gas Station and Quik Mart at 3759 W. Chicago Ave in Chicago ordered closed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot because a street gang member with an AK-47 killed someone in front of the store. Only Arab and Muslim stores are being closed by the Mayor
    When Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot targeted Arab businesses in 2021 and 2022 Activism
  • Hussam al-Mayman, The Mayman Show, podcast Arab News
    Arab News launches third season of The Mayman Show podcast Arab News
  • State Rep. Cyril Nichols interviewed on live Arab American radio in Detroit with host Ray Hanania Friday Dec. 9, 2022
    Nichols discusses need to improve Arab-Black relations in Chicagoland American Arabs
  • Voting sticker issued to voters in Cook County elections in 2016. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Gov. Pritzker Announces Six Appointments to Boards and Commissions — no Arabs included American Arabs
  • Closure notice posted on the doors and windows of Arab American businesses during Mayor Lori Lightfoot's closure of Arab owned stores in June - Sept. 2021. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Pritzker again ignores needs of Arab businesses in latest appointments Activism
  • Arab American Democratic Club (AADC) official candidate endorsements for the November 8, 2022 General elections.
    Arab American Democratic Club issues endorsements for Nov. 8, 2022 Cook County Illinois elections Activism
  • Arab Democrats urge NO VOTE on Gov. J.B. Pritzker re-election bid Activism
  • Assyrian American GOP issues endorsements in Nov, 8, 2022 elections
    Assyrian American GOP group endorses candidates in Illinois Activism
  • Abdullah Hammoud, elected Mayor of Dearborn Nov. 2, 2021. Photo courtesy of Abdullah Hammoud Facebook Page
    AHRC’s 2022 Spirit of Humanity Gala a Great Success American Arabs
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts Arab World
  • Rep. Cyril Nichols to be feted by supporters at fundraiser Saturday Oct. 22 Activism
  • Stand up For Human Rights website, United Nations
    UN experts condemn Israel’s ‘sadistic’ punitive measures against French-Palestinian rights defender Salah Hammouri Activism

Columbus Ohio Palestinian struggles in wake of violence

Posted on March 19, 2016June 12, 2019 By rayhanania No Comments on Columbus Ohio Palestinian struggles in wake of violence
SHARE ...
          
 
  

  • Tweet

The owner of a Middle East restaurant in Columbus, Ohio continues to struggle more than a month after a brutal machete attack on his customers. The owner, Hany J. Baransi, lives in a world of limbo. He is Palestinian Arab and Israeli from Nazareth, the name of his deli, and he is Christian. The Muslim man who attacked his restaurant and was killed by police is an immigrant from Guinea.

By Ray Hanania

Ray Hanania covering Chicago City Hall (1976-1992)
Ray Hanania
covering Chicago
City Hall
(1976-1992)

Hany J. Baransi is an anomaly. He is a Palestinian Christian and Israeli citizen from the Biblical city of Nazareth in what is now Israel. He opened a restaurant in Gahanna, a suburb of Columbus, Ohio, 25 years ago after he immigrated to America from Israel in the 1980s. For the most part everything was going well.

Customers loved his Middle Eastern foods. And who couldn’t love a place called “Nazareth Mediterranean Cuisine”?

But Hany lives in a world plagued by hatred and stereotypes and politics imposed on him and everyone like him, especially because he is a Christian in a conflict that more and more is defined as about religion. Not his religion but the religion of Jews and Muslims which continues to exacerbate because of the failure of the American Governments to help impose a final peace in Israel and Palestine.

The battle for Israel and Palestine is being fought right here in the political backrooms of America. But on February 11, 2016, the ugliness of the Middle East conflict exploded in brutal headlines when another immigrant identified by Columbus Police as a Muslim from Guinea, entered the restaurant which featured an Israeli flag on its window, wielding a machete and injuring four people.

The attacker was killed by police. He was identified as 30-year-old Mohammed Barry. Gahanna Police said four of the customers at the restaurant were treated at the local hospital, Grant Medical Center. William Foley, 54, was described at the time in critical but stable condition. Two other victims, Gerald Russell and Debbie Russell, both 43, were in stable condition. A fourth victim, Neil McMeekin, 43, was treated and released. All reportedly are doing well today.

The restaurant has been closed for more than a month, but just recently re-opened, although Baransi says he is struggling in the aftermath of the attack.

Nazareth Mediterranean Deli in Ghanna, Ohio near Columbus, the scene of a brutal machette attacked that may be linked to Middle East violence. (From the Facebook Page of Hany J. Baransi)
Nazareth Mediterranean Deli in Gahanna, Ohio near Columbus, the scene of a brutal machette attacked that may be linked to Middle East violence. (From the Facebook Page of Hany J. Baransi)

Still, more than a month after the attack, the restaurant’s insurance company refuses to cover the damage or injuries to the victims, who have received some donations from friends and the public. According to the insurance company, the violent incident is “a terrorist attack” and as we all know, insurance companies refuse to cover anything related to terrorism.

Baransi has turned to Facebook to raise awareness of his plight urging the public to help him raise $25,000. And friends have been posting pleas to raise awareness, like this one from one of Baransi’s Facebook friends:

“I have a local restaurant that is in dire need of help. Back in February, Nazareth Restaurant in Gahanna, Ohio was attacked by a narrow-minded person who took exception that the business was owned by an Arabic, Christian Israeli who relocated to the USA in the 1980’s. Now, a month later, the insurance companies are refusing to pay out for the damage done to the business from the attack. They justify this by stating that the insurance policy does not cover the actions of a terrorist.”

Although the Palestine-Israel conflict rages all around him, Hany Baransi seems to just be trying to live a normal life that is not plagued by politics.

In interviews, Hany has been quoted as saying, he is from Israel and may go back there. His name has not been bantered about in Arab group circles. ADC and CAIR haven’t issued statements supporting him or denouncing his attacker. Signs on his restaurant window have been critical of President Barack Obama, who like most American politicians, doesn’t seem to care about the plight of Christian Palestinians inside or outside of Israel.

Christian Palestinian Israeli Hany J. Baransi in front of his Deli in Ghanna, Ohio, near Columbus that was the scene of a brutal machette attack in February 2016. (Photo from the Facebook Page of Hany J. Baransi)
Christian Palestinian Israeli Hany J. Baransi in front of his Deli in Gahanna, Ohio, near Columbus that was the scene of a brutal machette attack in February 2016. (Photo from the Facebook Page of Hany J. Baransi)

“We continue to be wonderfully overwhelmed with everyone’s support and we wanted to let everyone know that our plan is to take a couple of weeks and regroup and in doing so use the opportunity to remodel Nazareth and come back fresh March 14, 2016, God willing! Thank You! See you soon!” Baransi wrote on his Facebook Page.

Israelis, on the other hand, have been all over the story. They love it when a Palestinian Arab identifies as an Israeli and not with Palestinian nationalism in big news coverage.

Maybe that’s why Baransi hasn’t received much support from American Arab or Muslim organizations, maybe because whenever Hany is pictured, he is waving an American Flag and an Israeli flag.

News reports quoted Baransi as saying the customers in the restaurant at the time just before the attack told him the attacker, Barry, entered the restaurant and continually asked where the owner was from, what kind of food was being served and where the owner was. He left and then returned with the machette.

Not everything has to be defined by the Palestine-Israel conflict. Hany J. Baransi is still a human being whose livelihood suffered a horrific tragedy. Fortunately all of the four victims survived the attack.

But it is hard not to see that when it comes to the tragedy and torment of Christians from the Arab, Muslim and Israeli Worlds, people are motivated to act or not act based on how it fits into their own personal political agendas.

Baransi has a GoFundMe page to raise $25,000. You can rise about the brutality and the politics of the Arab-Israeli conflict and treat Baransi as a human being.

The GoFundMe Page explains:

“Hany Baransi is the owner of Nazareth deli. His mediterranean deli experienced a terror attack here in Columbus Ohio a few weeks back.  The outpouring of love from the community has been life affirming. There were some crowdfunding pages however all of the monies went to the employees not the business. That is a great thing however Nazareth is struggling even though business has been brisk. He may have to close and that would be an additional crime committed against our community. Hany has reached out to say that his insurance wouldn’t cover the terror attack , the city ( government) has abandoned him, and that he is running his business day to day and may have to close.  This gofundme is being set up so that ALL  the proceeds go to Nazareth deli. This will keep him in and his 20 associates employees in his adopted home of the United States.  Hany has owned Nazareth for over 27 years and deserves our support. Please donate to this worthy cause and lets show the world that terrorism will not succeed.”

Click here to go to his GoFundMe page to make a donation to help him re-open what his customers overwhelming say is one of the best restaurants and restaurant owners they know.

Sadly, this is the kind of story that is driven by politics. Arabs and Muslims will rally around him if he stood up to Israel and didn’t identify as an Israeli. And Israelis support him only because it’s another example of Christian Arabs being targeted by Muslims, and the Palestinian involved is not political and identifies with Israel.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
rayhanania
rayhanania
Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster at The Arab Daily News
RAY HANANIA — Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster

Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.

Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).

Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.

Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.

His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.

Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.

Click here to send Ray Hanania email.

Follow RayHanania on Gettr.com, the uncensored Twitter Ray Hanania on Gettr, the new Twitter
rayhanania
Latest posts by rayhanania (see all)
  • Israeli-push behind effort to ban Tiktok in the United States - January 19, 2023
  • Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12 - January 18, 2023
  • CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd - January 12, 2023

  • Tweet

SHARE ...
          
 
  
 
          
 
 Tweet 
American Arabs, Bloggers, Commentary, Editors Picks, Food, Israel, News, Palestine & Jordan, Ray Hanania, religion, Terrorism Tags:Arab, Christian, Hany J. Baransi, Israel, machete attack, Mediterranean Deli, Nazareth, Palestine, terrorism, violence

Post navigation

Previous Post: US elections fuel tension of Arab-Israeli conflict
Next Post: Easter Message and Christian Fundamentalism

Related Posts

  • Major Gun Retailer Dick’s CEO with Common Sense Implores Politicians for Children’s Sake Arab World
  • Forever Young with Bob Dylan and Frank Sinatra Arab World
  • Jay McMullen, husband of former Mayor Jane M. Byrne, with Ray Hanania weeks after threatening to punch the author in the nose. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania. 1979
    Trump not the first to battle media bias mainstream
  • Bernie Sanders (I-VT) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
    Arab Americans endorse “Amo Bernie” in Michigan and Illinois primary elections Election
  • Children of Gaza Terrorized and Terrified Arab World
  • J.B. Pritzker from his election campaign Facebook Page at UFCW union endorsement.
    Pritzker, Brannigan and the “politics” of apologies American Arabs

More Related Articles

Exclusive interview with Turkish analyst Veysel Ayhan Abdennour Toumi
Trump orders plan to destroy ISIS in Iraq and Syria Middle East
Wayne County CEO Warren Evans to receive 2019 LAHC award Wayne County CEO Warren Evans to receive LAHC Excellence & Great Achievements Award American Arabs
May 3, 2019 Protest in Algiers downtown. Photo courtesy of Abdennour Toumi Algerian Political Opposition: It’s the System, Stupid Abdennour Toumi
Beirut explosion August 4, 2020. Photo courtesy of the US Council of Muslim Organizations Arab and Muslim American groups express support for Lebanon after explosion Arab World
Anti-Muslim racism drives anti-EU push Abdennour Toumi

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • Tiktok.com/@RayHanania
    Israeli-push behind effort to ban Tiktok in the United States
    January 19, 2023
  • Ghassan Rubeiz
    To what extent is Hezbollah responsible for the current crisis in Lebanon?
    January 17, 2023
  • Image from Rashid-al-Din Hamadani's "A Compendium of Chronicles. Image courtesy of Wikipedia
    Why allow religious extremists to re-define Islam in the West?
    January 10, 2023
  • CAIR Executive Director and co-founder Nihad Awad
    This Thanksgiving, let’s use our Blessings for good
    November 23, 2022
  • NEWS
  • Arab Democratic Club Feb 12, 2023 Forum & Brunch flier
    Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12
    January 18, 2023
  • The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced Dr. Manal Fakhoury has been elected to the position of Chair of the National Board of Directors, and that attorneys Spojmie Nasiri of California and John Floyd of Texas have joined the organization’s National Board.
    CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd
    January 12, 2023
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC: Honor Dr. King Day with Civility, Unity, and Action
    January 11, 2023
  • Citgo Gas Station and Quik Mart at 3759 W. Chicago Ave in Chicago ordered closed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot because a street gang member with an AK-47 killed someone in front of the store. Only Arab and Muslim stores are being closed by the Mayor
    When Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot targeted Arab businesses in 2021 and 2022
    January 4, 2023
  • NEWSWIRE
  • Arab Democratic Club Feb 12, 2023 Forum & Brunch flier
    Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12
    January 18, 2023
  • The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced Dr. Manal Fakhoury has been elected to the position of Chair of the National Board of Directors, and that attorneys Spojmie Nasiri of California and John Floyd of Texas have joined the organization’s National Board.
    CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd
    January 12, 2023
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC: Honor Dr. King Day with Civility, Unity, and Action
    January 11, 2023
  • Stand up For Human Rights website, United Nations
    UN experts condemn Israel’s ‘sadistic’ punitive measures against French-Palestinian rights defender Salah Hammouri
    October 19, 2022

Creative Commons License
All work on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

  • 08-09-21-Ziyad-Sices-Ad.jpg
  • 08-09-21-Ziyad-Ad-Pantry-essentials.jpg
  • ZiyadBrandLogo-2016BlackRedBackgrnd.jpg
  • BOOK REVIEWS
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    October 24, 2022
  • Stories My Father Told Me by author and artist Helen Zughaib, book cover. Photo courtesy of Cune Press
    Stories My Father Told Me by author and artist Helen Zughaib
    November 1, 2021
  • ENTERTAINMENT
  • Hussam al-Mayman, The Mayman Show, podcast Arab News
    Arab News launches third season of The Mayman Show podcast
    December 15, 2022
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    October 24, 2022
  • Comedian Ramy Youssef courtesy of his Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ramysfaceboo/
    “Ramy” cable series melds Arab world reality with every day American life
    October 22, 2022
  • The Ray Hanania Radio Show Live Wed 5 PM EST in Detroit, Washington DC, Ontario and on Thursday in Chicago. Watch the program live at Facebook.com/ArabNews
    Second Season of “The Ray Hanania Show” Arab American radio launches April 6
    April 4, 2022
  • American Arab CHamber President HassanNijem accepts the Proclamation from Chicago Ald. Roderick Sawyer at the Chamber dinner March 30, 2022
    Chicagoland celebrates Arab American Heritage Month
    March 31, 2022
  • New-iTunes-1400-x-1400-The-Ray-Hanania-Show-Podcast-Icon-300-x-300.jpg
  • Podcast-iTunes-Logo-Chi-City-Hall-1985.jpg
  • powerpr300x300ad.jpg
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png
  • terroristbookcover-300-x-300.jpg
Arab News Newspaper Logo
Read the Arab News, the leading English language newspaper in the MIddle East

Follow Ray Hanania at Gab.com, MeWe.com and IDobbinate.com, the alternatives to Facebook and Twitter Censorship.

Click here to get information on The Ray Hanania Radio Show and its podcasts

Copyright © 2023 The Arab Daily News.

Powered by PressBook Premium theme