Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem
Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders won their party primaries in Michigan Tuesday, March 8, but also attracted significant votes from among the Dearborn region’s large Arab and Middle Eastern Christian voting constituencies in the Southeastern corner of the Wolverine State. Muslims appeared to lean towards Sanders, who is Jewish. By Ray Hanania Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders both…
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BoomGen’s debut television series Of Kings and Prophets, executive produced by BoomGen cofounders Reza Aslan and Mahyad Tousi premieres on ABC on Tuesday, March 8 at 10pm. For the last eight years we have had the privilege to work with you (members of media and civil society) on incredible projects such as The Square, Rosewater, All-American…
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Can Palestinians and Israelis come together to make peace? It’s a difficult question to find an answer to, but filmmaker Harvey Stein explores this difficult but important topic in his new film “A Third Way.” By Ray Hanania I met Israeli filmmaker Harvey Stein during my foray into the contentious world of Israeli-Palestinian peace in…
Now that the Oscars are over, can we have a real discussion about the absence of fairness, the racism, stereotypes and bias that consumes the Hollywood movie industry? And to be honest, African Americans have a lot to complain about here in America over the past 400 years for sure, but they really are the last…
Read More “Oscars debate still bothers me, even though it’s done” »
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan served as the backdrop for three Oscar nominated films in this year’s Academy Awards. Jordan has a long history as a setting for movies including Lawrence of Arabia, The Hurt Locker, Indiana Jones and the Lost Crusade and Zero Dark Thirty. This years entries include Martian, Theeb and A War. As…
President Barack Obama promised more financial support to help ease the burden and the suffering of the refugees fleeing the violence by the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the by Russian soldiers in a meeting Wednesday with King Abdullah II of Jordan. By Ray Hanania President Barack Obama promised more financial support to help ease the…
Palestinian journalist imprisoned without trial or justice by Israel continues hunger strike to expose Israel’s civil rights abuses, violence and oppression. Muhammed al-Qiq symbolizes the enduring struggle against Israel’s brutality By Bettejo Indelicato A Palestinian prisoner on hunger striker becomes more than the individual their tortured body encompasses. The hunger striker, in this case Muhammad al-Qiq (Mohammed…
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Palestinian Journalist Muhammad al-Qiq’s Hunger Strike Enters 87th Day inside of Israeli Hospital Martyrdom is staring down 33 year old Palestinian journalist Muhammad al-Qiq as he somehow clings to life after, what is nearing, three months of starvation in protest of his illegal imprisonment by Israel. By Dezeray Lyn In HaEmek hospital in Afula, al-Qiq…
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Boutros Boutros-Ghali, veteran Egyptian diplomat, dies Boutros Boutros-Ghali, veteran Egyptian diplomat and the first United Nations Secretary-General from Africa, passed away today at the age of 93. He is being praised for guiding the Organization through the tumultuous early 1990’s and for helping shape the UN’s response to post-Cold War realities, drafting a seminal report…
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University of Illinois at Chicago Student Government votes unanimously to divest from Israeli occupation The Undergraduate Student Government Assembly of the University of Illinois at Chicago voted unanimously on Monday (February 15th, 2016) to pass a resolution urging the university to divest from corporations profiting off of the Israeli occupation and other human rights violations….
Read More “University of Illinois at Chicago endorses BDS” »
Christian Arab, Chaldean Arabian omelette pita sandwiches. An unusual breakfast sandwich of egg omelettes, cheese, pita bread and your favorite meat (bacon, ham or lamb slices) By Ray Hanania Christian Arabs throughout the Middle East and the Levant and Chaldeans, Middle East Christians mainly from Iraq, often enjoy a breakfast sandwich omelette prepared with flat…
Donald Trump has been criticized for calling for bans on Muslim and Hispanic immigration, but Arab Christians and Middle East Christians like Chaldeans are connecting with Trump because of his “tough” policies against radicalism and religions extremism, on Arab Radio By Ray Hanania Donald Trump has been criticized for calling for bans on Muslim and Hispanic immigration,…
Read More “Despite rhetoric, Trump leads with Arab radio callers” »
Palestinian groups calls on Oscar nominees at this year’s Academy Awards to reject the “Israel propaganda trip” valued at over $50,000 that is included in this year’s “swag bags” Palestinian human rights activists are calling on Oscar nominees not to accept travel vouchers supplied by the Israeli government as part of the gift bag that…
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First Presbyterian Church of Wheaton IL funds vital medical equipment for two hospitals in Nazareth, state of Israel Abraham’s Children, a 20-year mission of the First Presbyterian Church of Wheaton, sponsored seven events in three states during October 2015, in order to fund the shipment of 40 foot containers of equipment to Nazareth Hospital and…
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Israel writes, produces, distributes and advocates for more press releases than all of the Arab World combined. That should be shocking but most Arabs don’t even know what I’m talking about. By Ray Hanania For the average person, this doesn’t mean much. But in terms of the bottom line, it could make a significant difference in…
Will controversy follow recent sale of Palos Church to Muslims? The southwest suburbs have a history of community opposition to the building of a mosque or Muslim center, reflecting growing racism and discrimination against Muslims nationwide. Have things changed? By Ray Hanania Ray Hanania More than 15 years ago, tried to purchase the abandoned Reform Church…
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Johnny Manziel, the American Arab of Lebanese and Italian heritage, was on a fast track to fame as quarterback for the Cleveland Browns professional football team. But Manziel couldn’t seem to get his personal life in order, and a series of controversies including physical altercationsreportedly pushed the team to drop him this year By Ray Hanania Fewer than…
Through its work with the America Healing initiative, the W. K. Kellogg Foundation has supported approximately 1,000 national and community organizations representing Native American, African American, Latino, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Arab American and white communities, which want to jettison the antiquated belief in the hierarchy of human value that limits the even distribution of opportunities…
Read More “Kellogg Foundation advocates for racial equality” »