OPINION

Michigan’s Primary Elections, August 3rd: Charting the Future of Our Communities
Michigan’s Primary Elections, August 3rd: Charting the Future of Our Communities By Imad Hamad The American Human Rights Council (AHRC-USA) urges all registered voters to participate in the upcoming primary elections that will be held on Tuesday, August 3, 2021 across the state of Michigan. This year’s primary elections is extremely important to different key cities such as Detroit, Dearborn, Dearborn heights, Taylor, Westland, Hamtramck and several others. Voting has already started via mail, absentee or in person, since June 21 and will continue to the day of the primaries on August 3rd. The city of Dearborn’s mayoral race is the most heated one among all other races. Mayor O’Reilly’s retirement has opened the door for a number of candidates to run for mayor. There are seven strong candidates running. One thing is sure: The voter has many options to choose from. We continue to advocate the Smart Vote. A smart vote is not reactive or emotional. We call on voters to refuse to be misled by misinformation and orchestrated campaigns of character assassination. AHRC urges all voters in Dearborn and all other cities to vote. Don’t let a small group of voters determine the future of our cities. While national elections get all the hype, most of our day-to-day life is governed by local officials. Local elections are very important- think of schools, police and taxes, among other things. The vote is not about race, ethnicity or faith. It’s about character, experience, qualifications, leadership and vision. Vote for candidates who are to serve the public honestly. Public service is a huge responsibility and not a privilege. Your vote counts. AHRC urges all registered voters to vote and encourage friends and family to vote. Many races in the US have been determined by a small number of votes- sometimes fewer than five votes. Do not miss being part of shaping the future of our cities. Vote on August 3rd. “Ralph Nader said the most important political position is that of the citizen,” said Imad Hamad, AHRC Executive director. “In a democracy the voter decides the future of the local community, the state and the country and a single vote is the most amplified at the local level,” added Hamad. “Let’s make our voice heard,” concluded Hamad. (Imad Hamad is the Executive Director of the American Human Rights Council (AHRC-USA). Email him at Imad@ahrcusa.org. Visit his website at: www.ahrcusa.org)
No easy solution for Lebanon
No easy solution for Lebanon By Ghassan Michel Rubeiz Lebanese President Michel Aoun is expected to announce next week his choice of a new prime minister designate. Who is willing to assume the task of forming a cabinet to address Lebanon’s huge problems? There is talk about the possible designation of Najib Mikati, a former prime minister with moderate views and a business orientation. Politically and economically, this small country has fallen off the cliff. The state is bankrupt. Private banks and their clients are in big trouble; local currency has lost 90 % of its value against the dollar. There is famine looming, high unemployment, and severe shortage of medicine, fuel, and electricity.There is famine looming, high unemployment, and severe shortage of medicine, fuel, and electricity. The state has nearly lost its sovereignty. The small republic today is as fragile as it was a century ago – precisely 1920, when France created Grand Liban during the post WWI mandate period. The French created a client – state. The new expanded Lebanon was carved out of Syria. A strange sectarian formula of elections and power sharing gave the Christians an advantage in politics, services and the economy. We are now witnessing the unraveling of the French-made Greater Lebanon. External intervention is only one factor contributing to state failure. Local political leaders have never been willing to confront corruption and political deadlock. Currently, the badly needed radical reforms are hard to come by for a simple reason: reform would expose those in power and replace them. Citizens are in an existential conflict of interest with their leaders. It is a tug of war, and so far the ruler has been winning. How long will this power game last? Politicians have lost sensitivity to criticism. It took Hariri as long as nine months to acknowledge his inability to form the next cabinet, which would have been his fourth term as a prime minister – and leader of the Sunnite community. Cabinet formation is a game of distribution of personal power and benefits. Tension in decision making has been more about personal, party and sect privileges than about responsibility for public office. It is not total collapse yet. The national army is still functional. There are no signs of a new civil war. The previous 15 year civil war, which ended in 1990, is a reminder that there is no winner in sectarian wars. Moreover, the strong presence of Hezbollah forces enhances the efficacy of the Lebanese national armed forces role in preserving public security, and ironically, this independent “resistance” contributes to the decline of state sovereignty. During every national crisis, the Lebanese fiercely debate the-chicken-and-the-egg controversy surrounding Hezbollah: is it the weak state which calls for the mobilization of a resistance force against Israel, or a dominant militia presence which weakens the state? The Lebanese will not regret the departure of Hariri from leadership. The former, long-serving prime minister, President Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and the Governor of the Central Bank Riad Salameh , all four, are equally ( but not totally) responsible for allowing the country to reach such a low level of instability and deprivation. It is time for them to go. While Aoun acts as the father figure of the state, he has allowed his son-in-law, Gebran Bassil, to have too much influence in the affairs of governance. While Berri acts as the champion of reform, he has accumulated too much wealth through public service. While Salameh brags about his technical skills in public finance, he has mismanaged Lebanon’s spiraling national debt and contributed to a corrupt system of private banking. There is plenty of news analysis on what is going wrong in the country, but there is not much insight on how to overcome the political and economic deadlocks. In a recent article (in Arabic, in Beirut’s Al Bina’a, July 20) Issam Naaman, an esteemed political scientist captured the political scene and future prospects. Naaman argues that the departure of Hariri reveals the decline of Washington, Saudi and Western influence in Lebanon. Naaman figures that perhaps, finally, the fratricidal Lebanese factions have come to their senses to allow the formation of a consensus cabinet which would avoid confronting explosive political issues, for the moment, and address the survival needs of the people. For Naaman, Hezbollah, relations with Syria, the share of Christians in political power, and election reforms stand out as highly sensitive issues. Like Naaman, many citizens believe that if Lebanon is to survive it must distance itself a notch from the West and start cooperating with Syria, Iran, China and Russia. Perhaps Lebanon can no longer remain too dependent on Washington and Europe and too cautious in cooperation with all its Arab neighbors, particularly Syria. This policy of cultural and ideological equi-distance from the East and West may one day serve to unite the Lebanese on diverse ideas and practices which serve the interest of their nation. Egypt’s Jamal Abdel Nasser championed this midway approach in nation building. Nasser’s ideas are not dead. There is no immediate solution for Lebanon’s predicament, given the immense difficulty of replacing an entire class of political elites who have for too long milked the system without ever facing accountability or isolation from power. There is no hope for Lebanon as long as Washington continues to punish Hezbollah by undermining the Lebanese economy. There is no way of restoring sovereignty to Lebanon as long as it is considered the natural place to indefinitely host a million Syrian and four hundred thousand Palestinians. There is no way of dealing creatively with the political dominance of Hezbollah without settling the Palestinian and Syrian questions. A key factor in the future of Lebanon- and the entire region- hangs on the development of relations between the US and Iran: better relations would open up limitless opportunities for all. Eliminate foreign interference, install new political figures, secularize elections and personal laws, focus the economy on local production of goods, facilitate … Click to Read
Dearborn Mayor O’Reilly, Thank you for all you have done
Dearborn Mayor O’Reilly, Thank you for all you have done By Imad Hamad Once one becomes part of public life, he lives in the public eye and under the microscope. There is praise sometimes, criticism other times. Some of it is fair, some unfair. It comes with the territory of being a public figure. Indeed, no matter how hard one works and how conscientious a person is, there is no escape from criticism. This is normal in a democracy. Different views and debate are healthy and needed. Criticism is important. It serves as a constant reminder to those in public office that nothing can be taken for granted. It’s a check on power and a reminder that someone is paying attention. In a democracy, it is our duty to pay attention. Our officials should be held accountable. But criticism is one thing, political lynching and nasty personal attacks quite another matter. It is a moral and ethical issue. Take Dearborn. For the past two years and since the Covid-19 pandemic crisis began, everything has changed. Everyone was impacted by it. We started living the age of uncertainty and the unknown. Mayor O’ Reilly was one of millions of Americans impacted by the pandemic. He and his wife caught Covid-19. The infection, with other health challenges, mandated limited mobility. Despite his health challenges, the mayor effectively mobilized the city resources to deal with the Covid crisis. Indeed, Dearborn’s response, operations and particularly of both the Dearborn Police Department and the Fire Department, were a role model in handling the crisis. Their record speaks for itself. Our first responders are real heroes. That takes leadership and the leader of the city was mayor O’Reilly. The city provided mass vaccinations. Mr. O’Reilly’s health limitation did not negatively affect the city’s functions. Its Covid response was one of the best in the state. The mayor was present where he was needed. Handling a crisis is not about photo ops, making noises and bragging. It’s about producing results. The recent flood crisis renewed criticism and questions and rightly so from some a number of citizens about the mayor’s visibility. It’s normal under these tough and unexpected circumstances to want to see the leader. People want to see their leader and hear from him. But some saw the crisis as an opportunity to play dirty politics by orchestrating a campaign of nasty out of bounds vilification of the mayor. They wanted the mayor to resign even though no investigation has taken place regarding the flood and its causes. What we know for sure is that what happened is government failure- city, county and state. The mayor himself, a conscientious man, recognized his limited mobility when he decided not to run again. He wanted to serve his term and retire from public service. He paved the way for the change of leadership in Dearborn. Since he is medically and mentally able to continue to perform his functions, he reasonably and responsibly decided to finish his term. It’s a fact that the dirtiest American sport is politics. Many get involved in politics for the public good, others to self-serve and build their power base. Such people disregarded the mayor’s decades of public service showing no concern for his health and wellbeing. Not even an iota of decency. They saw an opening and political expediency drove them to engage in a despicable campaign against the mayor. During his many years of public service, it was common to run into the mayor at events around the city. He was a highly engaged and visible leader. He rarely missed any public gatherings or events. He never shied away from responding to inquiries and meeting people. But health complications limit appearances but not cognitive abilities and functions. Many of us had a medical situation that limited our ability to go to go around but we were still able to meet people we need to meet and attend to our business. Nothing special here. It is amazing how fast some people forget all the good and go for the kill. It is legal and politically expedient but it is not moral or ethical. It is bad for the public and for democracy. It sends the wrong message to politicians and aspiring politicians. It breeds cynicism. And that has negative consequences to how politicians operate. Politics is not only about power, it is about the right people entering public service to advance the public good. Political expediency should not trump gratitude, kindness and basic decency. Thank you, Mr. Mayor, for your decades of public service. Best wishes for speedy recovery. (Imad Hamad is the Executive Director of the American Human Rights Council, AHRC, based in Dearborn.) Save the date: AHRC “Spirit of Humanity” Gala 2021 The American Human rights Council (AHRC-USA) is pleased to announce its annual AHRC “Spirit of Humanity” Awards Gala that will be held on Friday, October 22, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. Due to Covid-19 pandemic crisis, the gala’s location, program and details will be released and announced in the future. Help AHRC Protect Human Rights: These are challenging times. It is our common humanity that we are determined to protect. To donate, please visit: www.ahrcusa.org for safe & secured donation Listen to the Radio Interview with Imad Hamad on July 7, 2021 where he discusses how the flooding damaged his own home. Click to listen to the audio podcast or watch the radio show using the widget below.
The fate of Lifta portends the future of Ramallah and Bethlehem and more
The fate of Lifta portends the future of Ramallah and Bethlehem and more The tragic fate of the village of #Lifta, #Palestine. @ArabNews Every Palestinian knows the story of Lifta, a small village on a hillside near the city of Jerusalem. During its war to conquer Palestinian-majority areas of Palestine in 1947 and 1948, Israel ethnically cleansed and eventually destroyed more than 530 Palestinian villages. Click here to read the column https://www.arabnews.com/node/1894196 Subscribe to Ray Hanania’s Columns * indicates required field. Email Address * First Name Last Name Select Email Format html text

HANANIA ARAB NEWS OPINIONS

Israel’s Government hypocrisy in full display in its violence in Sheikh Jarrah
Israel’s Government hypocrisy in full display in its violence in Sheikh Jarrah Arab News columnist Ray Hanania explores the ethical, legal and moral hypocrisies of Israel’s government’s efforts to evict non-Jews from their homes in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah. In his column, Hanania argues that if Israel’s government asserts that homes and lands owned by Jews in the West Bank and East Jerusalem taken from them prior to the 1948 war should be returned to them, then surely the homes and lands owned by non-Jews in Israel prior to 1948 that were taken from them should be returned to them, too. Israel is seeking to evict dozens of non-Jewish families from homes that Jewish organizations assert were owned by Jews whose ownership has been given to them. The Israel Supreme Court, the cornerstone of Apartheid racism, has refused to recognize the rights of the non-Jews living in those homes saying only that the properties belong to Jews and that the non-Jews should pay the Jewish organizations rent to live in them, at least for now. The court adjourned without taking any definitive action in a large part because of the intense news media focus from he Arab World on Israel’s abusive policies in Sheikh Jarrah. Israel Defense Force soldiers have been used to evict some of the non-Jewish homeowners and protesters seeking to defend non-Jewish rights have been assaulted, injured and even killed by IDF soldiers and racist settler goons. Click here to read the full column.

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Photos of life at Beit Lahia in Gaza

By Ahmad Hasaballah

Ahmad Hasaballah

Gaza Strip war photographer Ahmad Hasaballah captures some photographs of the Palestinians in everyday in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia.

Hasaballah’s award winning photography has documented the lives and struggles of Palestinians who live under Israeli oppression and the brutal Israeli embargo. More than 1.8 million Palestinians live in the Gaza Strip.

Israel withdrew its military personnel and several small settlements from Gaza in 2005, but imposed an embargo controlling everything and everyone who enters and leaves the land area.

Over the past 10 years, Israel has pounded the civilian areas with mortar fire, missiles and aircraft bombings.

These photos show children playing in the rubble of Gaza’s everyday life and Palestinians working to put food on their family’s tables.

Photos from the Town of Beit Lahia in Northern Gaza, 06-28-17 by Photographer Ahmad Hasaballah.

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Ahmad Hasaballah

War Zone Photographer, writer at Freelance

Ahmad Hasaballah is a professional photographer based in the Israeli assaulted Gaza Strip, a war zone targeted by Israeli settlers and Israeli military militias.

Hasaballah's photos are copyright (C) 2017 Ahmad Hasaballah. All Rights Reserved. For information on using his photographs, email him at:
ahmadhasaballah1994@gmail.com

Or, visit his Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002438846983

Latest posts by Ahmad Hasaballah (see all)

Palestinians show solidarity with Burma - September 7, 2017
Photo Array: Eid Mubarak from the Gaza Strip - September 1, 2017
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June 28, 2017 Ahmad Hasaballah

Ahmad Hasaballah, Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Editors Picks, Features, Middle East, Opinion, Palestine & Jordan, PhotographsAhmad Hasaballah , Beit Lahia , Gaza Strip , Northern Gaza , photographs