Author: rayhanania

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. 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. Click here to send Ray Hanania email. Follow RayHanania on Gettr.com, the uncensored Twitter Ray Hanania on Gettr, the new Twitter

Rabbis for Human Rights protests Israel’s collective punishment

February 8, 2015November 30, 2020 rayhanania No Comments

Rabbis for Human Rights protests Israel’s collective punishment By Ray Hanania Rabbis for Human Rights, the only rabbinical based human rights organization in Israel, issued a statement this week calling on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the practice of punishing families and relatives of individuals accused of violent crimes by destroying their homes….

Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Israel, Palestine & Jordan, Ray Hanania

Warren and Amal David bring America to the Arabs

February 7, 2015February 7, 2015 rayhanania No Comments

By Ray Hanania Longtime American Arab activists Warren and Amal David are touring the country to promote their newest online venture, ArabAmerica.com. At a luncheon they hosted in Saturday at Fattoush Restaurant in Chicago’s Southwest Suburbs, the heart of Chicagoland’s Arab American community, the David’s presented their community news and information website to a gathering of 40…

American Arabs, Bloggers, Commentary, News, Ray Hanania, Technology

Muslim Prisoner Details Torture at American Gulag in New Book

February 4, 2015September 24, 2018 rayhanania No Comments

Muslim prisoner Mohamedou Ould Slahi offers a poignant story of an innocent man who faces torture by American soldiers at Gitmo with an inspiring sense of humor. His book “Guantanamo Diary” is a must read for Americans, Muslims, Christians and Jews. By Ray Hanania Most Americans are familiar with the story of Anne Frank, the…

Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Ray Hanania, Spotlight

Egypt and the need to overcome Radical Islam, a 1984 re-do

February 2, 2015September 24, 2018 rayhanania No Comments

The truth is that President Al-Sisi of Egypt can move his nation forward both as a strongman and as a hero of the Arab Spring by learning the lessons of past failures of Democracy in the Middle East and understanding that George Orwell’s book 1984 cast tyranny in the wrong way. By Ray Hanania In the…

Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Features, Ray Hanania, Spotlight

Setting the record straight: Saudi women’s oppression

February 1, 2015September 24, 2018 rayhanania 7 Comments

By Sheikha Al Dosary Nothing makes me sicker to my stomach than reading false accusations of any nation that aren’t based on facts, especially when it’s done by a so-called “fair and balanced” media. For the past week, I have been investigating the coverage of President Obama’s visit to Saudi Arabia, which was dominated by…

Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Gulf States, Spotlight

Arab governments investing heavily in Satellite TV News

February 1, 2015 rayhanania 1 Comment

By Ray Hanania Ever since al-Jazeera (AlJazeera, Al Jazeera) launched as a mouthpiece for the Government of Qatar in 1996, Arab governments have been slowly assessing the power of an in-house and controlled news media. Although al-Jazeera (“The Island”) claims to be objective the Qatar-based government run news channel has drifted far away from professional…

Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, News, News Media, Ray Hanania, Spotlight

Americans shun Middle East as travel destination

January 29, 2015January 29, 2015 rayhanania No Comments

By Ray Hanania While the Middle East and issues related to Arab countries dominate the attention of Americans through news media and national security, most Americans are avoiding travel to Middle East countries. A recent study by Hotels.com shows that of the top 50 destinations where Americans are traveling, only one Arab Middle East destination, Dubai in…

Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Features, Israel, Palestine & Jordan, Ray Hanania, Spotlight, Travel

Beauty Pageants and the Ugly Debate

January 29, 2015June 12, 2019 rayhanania No Comments

By Ray Hanania I used to watch beauty pageants purely for entertainment. But in recent years, they’ve become the focus of a cultural debate between the Arab world, and the rest. The Miss Universe Pageant was held Sunday in Doral, Florida in the United States. It featured 88 female contestants competing in categories involving their…

Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Entertainment, Ray Hanania, Spotlight

Kurds celebrate Kobani victory with musicfest in Seruç, Turkey

January 28, 2015 rayhanania No Comments

By Abdennour Toumi On Monday, according to local sources of Kurdish media, fighters of the YPG entered the city of Kobani, united with the forces of the Kurdish Alliance, and now together they control 90% of the town and its environs. The city of Kobani has been seen as a major testing-ground for the Kurdish…

Abdennour Toumi, Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Features, Spotlight, Syria

Western Union Signs Amr Diab as Brand Ambassador

January 28, 2015January 28, 2015 rayhanania 3 Comments

The Western Union Company (NYSE:WU), a leader in global payment services, today announced its association with one of the Arab world’s most popular pop stars – Amr Diab, as a Brand Ambassador. As an Arab star with a strong international following, Amr Diab will now represent Western Union and its quick, convenient and reliable money transfer services, offered across…

Arab World, Business, Gulf States, Ray Hanania, Spotlight

No Arab-Israeli battle at this year’s Oscars

January 26, 2015June 12, 2019 rayhanania No Comments

By Ray Hanania Well, one Arab-Israeli war won’t be fought this year, but there will be much debate over the messages in the controversial film American Sniper, the story of an American soldier during the illegal war in Iraq. Unlike in several past broadcasts of the Academy Awards, no Oscars have been nominated this year…

American Arabs, Bloggers, Commentary, Entertainment, Israel, News, Palestine & Jordan, Ray Hanania, Spotlight

Pizza franchise featured at 2014 Oscars makes Middle East debut

January 26, 2015January 26, 2015 rayhanania No Comments

By Ray Hanania Last year during the Academy Awards, Oscar hostess Ellen DeGeneres ordered Big Mama’s & Papa’s Pizzeria (BMPP) pizza delivered to the show and then walked through the audience with the delivery driver, sharing slices with stars such as Harrison Ford, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. The humor drew big laughs at the Oscars…

Arab World, Business, News, Spotlight

Houston Arab Community Center elects new leaders

January 23, 2015 rayhanania No Comments

By Ray Hanania The Arab Community Center of Houston, one of the most active and energetic organizations in the American Arab community, announced the election of its new board members this week. “The ACC accomplished many things in 2014 and we anticipate that 2015 will be even better,” newly elected ACC President Kamal Khalil announced. “To start…

American Arabs, News, Ray Hanania, Spotlight

Threats against Bridgeview Mosque investigated (Updated)

January 22, 2015September 24, 2018 rayhanania 3 Comments

By Ray Hanania UPDATE 2, Friday: Bridgeview Police released the following statement: Bridgeview Police today interviewed two individuals believed to be involved in an exchange of comments on Facebook that involved allegations of threats made against the Bridgeview Mosque. Both suspects were interviewed at the Bridgeview Police Headquarters. The names of the persons of interest…

American Arabs, Bloggers, Christian & Muslim, Commentary, News, Ray Hanania, religion, Spotlight

Moderate Arab World mourns loss of Saudi King Abdullah

January 22, 2015September 24, 2018 rayhanania No Comments

By Ray Hanania Saudi Arabia’s moderate leader and monarch, King Abdullah ibn Abdul Aziz al-Saud, 90, who has ruled the powerful Arabian kingdom for nearly a decade since 2005 when he succeeded his brother King Fahd, died Friday. His Majesty King Abdullah was succeeded by his brother, Crown Prince Salman who was named the kingdom’s new…

Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Features, Gulf States, News, Obits, Ray Hanania, Spotlight

The war is in English and the Arabs are losing

January 22, 2015June 12, 2019 rayhanania No Comments

By Ray Hanania Wars are fought with many armaments. Some of them blow up. Others cause things to blow up. And still more can undermine entire nations simply with a few words. In the Arab-Israeli war, the Arabs are losing. They have been losing for a long time, but they are losing even more, now….

Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Israel, News Media, Palestine & Jordan, Ray Hanania, Social Media, Spotlight

UFOs have plagued the Arab World, too

January 21, 2015June 12, 2019 rayhanania No Comments

By Ray Hanania When people talk about UFOs and the Middle East, much of the discussion focuses on Israel’s stealth abilities to massacre people using fast-flying jet fighters made in America or missiles that come out of nowhere and kill scores of people. But occasionally, a few UFOs — Unidentified Flying Objects — involve the extra-terrestrial…

American Arabs, Bloggers, Commentary, News, Ray Hanania, Technology

Egypt Human Rights group condemns government crackdowns

January 21, 2015June 12, 2019 rayhanania No Comments

The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies has condemned the Government of Egypt for flogging a blogger who allegedly criticized Islam, and for banning travel to critics of government policies. Here are the two press releases from the CIHRS: A Serious Violation to the Constitution and a New Way to Harass Democracy Advocates The undersigned organizations…

Activism, Arab World, News, North Africa, Press Releases