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
Arab Youth Survey 2018 by ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller, based in Dubai

Arab Youth Survey raises some serious concerns

Posted on May 8, 2018May 8, 2018 By rayhanania No Comments on Arab Youth Survey raises some serious concerns
SHARE ...
2         
 
  
2
Shares

  • Tweet

Arab Youth Survey raises some serious concerns

A study by one of the world’s largest PR companies, Burson-Marsteller, of Arab young people in 16 countries in the Levant, Gulf and North Africa offers disturbing insight into the regional concerns and the powerful influence of the mainstream Western news media. Not surprisingly, the further away Arab youth are from striking distance of Israel’s human rights brutalities, the more optimistic they are about the future.

By Ray Hanania

راى حنانيا

ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller, the American-based public relations company with offices in Dubai, released its 10th Annual Arab Youth Survey this week, offering a mix of shrugs, surprises and shock.

BM conducted 3,500 face-to-face surveys of young Arabs between the ages of 18 and 24 located in 16 Arab Countries in three regions: six Gulf Cooperation Council states (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE); in five North African states (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia), and youth in four Levant states (Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine). Yemen was also mixed in but not by region while Syria was excluded due to the country’s civil war. The respondents were equally divided between men and women.

Although the survey suggests most Arab youth trust Russia over the United States, the real surprise is the deepening rift that exists between how youth in the Levant differ from youth in North Africa and the Gulf.

For example, more than 80 percent of young people polled in Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan said they believe that over the past decade, the Arab World has been headed in the wrong direction. In contrast, less than half of the young people surveyed in North African and the Gulf agree.

Arab Youth Survey 2018 by ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller, based in Dubai
Arab Youth Survey 2018 by ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller, based in Dubai

That could be easily explained by the different challenges the three regions face. Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine are adjacent to Israel, one of the most disruptive nations in the Middle East. Events there have directly impacted citizens in all three nations and in many cases citizens of all three Arab nations have been killed by Israeli forces, most in Palestine.

While Israel’s oppression of the Palestinians and its threats to Jordan and Lebanon may be constant threats, they are distant geographically from North African and Gulf Arabs.

The significant divide between youth in the Levant (Palestine, Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon) and the Gulf and North Africa was further widened on the question of their feelings about the future.

Young people in the Levant were significantly more pessimistic about their future, while young people in North Africa and the Gulf were far more optimistic. More than 86 percent of respondents in the Levant were pessimistic about the future, while 91 percent of young people in the Gulf were optimistic about the future. Young people in North Africa were almost equally divided about the future with a majority, 51 percent saying they are optimistic, and 46 percent saying they are moving in the wrong direction.

One area in which all youth seem to agree, however, is in recognizing rights of women who are oppressed at varying degrees throughout the Arab World and Middle East. The respondents overwhelmingly, more than 80 percent, applauded Saudi Arabia’s efforts to expand women’s rights by giving women the right to drive in the Kingdom.

On average, 11 percent of all respondents in the 16 nations and territories, supported the expansion of rights to women, while 19 percent of Saudi men and 17 percent of Saudi women opposed allowing women to drive.

More than 78 percent of all respondents also said they believe that the terrorist movement Daesh will continue to weaken, compared to 61 percent who felt that way last year in a similar survey by Burson-Marsteller.

Probably the most disturbing survey results were found in the questions involving where young people in the Arab World get their news and who they trust the most.

Not surprisingly, young Arabs are turning more and more to Social Media for news and information, with more and more Arabs turning away from traditional news sources like Television, online news websites and newspapers. Magazines and radio, however, showed an increase as a source of news for young people.

Popularity in Facebook as a source of news almost doubled in popularity, rising from 34 percent as a source for news in 2017 to 61 percent in 2018.

Yet the most significantly striking and most disturbing result is which media the young people, as a whole, turn to as being more trustworthy. Of the respondents, 75 percent named CNN, the pro-Israel often biased anti-Arab media source as their most trusted news source, followed closely by BBC (72 percent), MBC (71), Facebook (71), Google (70), Al Arabiya (64), Sky News Arabia (61) and Al Jazeera (53).

If the survey separated respondents in the Levant from respondents in the Gulf and North African, you could see an understanding pattern with the majority of CNN’s bias focused on its slanted coverage towards Israel and against Palestinians and critics of Israel.

I trust the Burson-Marsteller results because the public relations firm has a reputation of standing up to political bullying. While it has major Arab clients and a deep understanding of the Arab World, it has intentionally avoided doing business with Israel.

Burson-Marsteller is one of the world’s largest PR firms, operating 67 wholly offices and 71 affiliate offices in 98 countries in six continents with a large presence in the Middle East. In 2011, Burson-Marsteller smartly refused to take Israel on as a client.

Let’s face it, Israel is justifiably criticized for abuses of Arab (Muslim and Christian) human rights inside Israel and in territories it controls directly in Palestine, in Syria’s Golan Heights, and indirectly in the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt.

Israel still occupies locations holy to Muslims and Christians and more than 99 percent of the victims of its military assaults are Arabs or Europeans working for Arabs. There have been a few Americans killed by Israel’s military, but mainly because of a powerful pro-Israel media presence in the United States, led by CNN, Israel has never been forced to account for those killings. One of them is the killing of American peace activist Rachel Corrie.

Still, although the PR giant has refused to represent Israel in the past, it’s representation of Arab nations, political parties and businesses has been restrictive, avoiding badly needed campaigns to expose Israel’s history of human rights violations and violence against Palestinians.

I wonder if the survey had included a question along those lines, “Do you believe Israel abuses the rights of Arabs,” a significant majority would agree. Although, the number disagreeing would still be large considering so many Arabs apparently turn to the pro-Israel news agency CNN for their news about the Levant.

To read the Burson-Marsteller survey, you can click here.

(Ray Hanania is an award-winning Palestinian American syndicated columnist, author and a former Chicago City Hall and political reporter. He is the President and CEO of Urban Strategies Group. Reach him on his personal website at www.Hanania.com, or email him at rghanania@gmail.com.)

  • 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 ...
2         
 
  
2
Shares
 
2
Shares
2         
 
 Tweet 
Arab World, Arab World Politics, Bloggers, Commentary, Egypt, Gulf States, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Media Bias, Middle East, North Africa, Opinion, Palestine & Jordan, Politics, Ray Hanania, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Television, Women's rights Tags:Aljazeera, Arab media, Arab Youth, cnn, Gulf, Iraq, JORDAN, Lebanon, North Africa, optimism, Palestine, pessimism, Russia, Saudi Arabia, study, United States, Western media, women's rights

Post navigation

Previous Post: Detroit women’s shelter receives major makeover from Arab American Service Day volunteers
Next Post: Trump withdraws from imbalanced Iran deal

Related Posts

  • Comic Strip: Ikhras, Kim Kardashian and Syria’s Bashar al-Assad American Arabs
  • President Obama strategy to defeat ISIL might not work Ali Younes
  • Incumbent Washington DC mayor ousted, but American Arab candidate fails in bid American Arabs
  • Palestinians and Israelis protest the annual Jerusalem Marathon. Photo courtesy of the protestors.
    Dozens of Israelis, Palestinians protest Jerusalem Marathon Arab World
  • American Arab Christians support Trump American Arabs
  • Documentary explores the covering of womens’ hair Arab World

More Related Articles

Turkey President Erdogan. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia A Turkish Democracy with a sour K’nafah taste Abdennour Toumi
MLK Day in the Era of Trump Arab World
American Muslims for Palestine hosts conference Nov. 28-30, 2019 Events
Book cover "The Road to Nablus" by author Bassam Hadi New book: The Road to Nablus American Arabs
Mazen Faqha murdered by Israeli assassin. Photo courtesy of Mohammed Asad. Even Israeli terrorism is not justification for Palestinian violence American Arabs
Double standards and pro-Israel hypocrisy slam al-Jazeera America American Arabs

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-Ad-Pantry-essentials.jpg
  • ZiyadBrandLogo-2016BlackRedBackgrnd.jpg
  • 08-09-21-Ziyad-Sices-Ad.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
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png
  • terroristbookcover-300-x-300.jpg
  • powerpr300x300ad.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