Author: Ray Hanania

Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.   His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing. Email Ray Hanania at [email protected]. Follow RayHanania at Twitter

Politics in a Parallel Universe: Iraq’s Leadership Crisis and the Iran War

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Politics in a Parallel Universe: Iraq’s Leadership Crisis and the Iran War

Politics in a Parallel Universe: Iraq’s Leadership Crisis and the Iran War By Harith Hasan The Iraqi government and the leaders of the country’s ruling political factions have every reason for alarm. The US–Israeli war on Iran—and its profound consequences for Iraq’s security, political stability, and economy—has produced a national crisis. Yet in Baghdad, political…

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Arab Center Washington DC, Arab World, International news, Iraq, Middle East, News, NewsWire

Sexual and gender-based violence against Palestinians driving displacement, warn UN experts

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Sexual and gender-based violence against Palestinians driving displacement, warn UN experts

Sexual and gender-based violence against Palestinians driving displacement, warn UN experts UN experts today, April 30, 2026, expressed grave concern that sexual violence has become a tool of Israeli occupation, committing genocide, perpetuating the system of oppression by intimidating the Palestinian population and driving their forcible transfer. “Israeli sexual violence has become embedded in Palestinians’…

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Christian & Muslim, Civil Rights, Human Rights, Israel, News, NewsWire, Palestine & Jordan, Press Releases, refugees, Terrorism, war crimes, Women's rights

24 members of Congress demand US probes of American Arabs killed by Israel

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24 members of Congress demand US probes of American Arabs killed by Israel

24 members of Congress demand US probes of American Arabs killed by Israel By Ray Hanania As the one-year anniversary of the killing of an American Arab Khamis Ayyad by Israeli settlers approaches, 24 members of the U.S. Congress expressed frustration in a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Acting U.S. Attorney…

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Activism, American Arabs, Christian & Muslim, Civil Rights, Congress, crime, Human Rights, Israel, Middle East, News, NewsWire, Palestine & Jordan, Politics, Ray Hanania

Cook County Treasurer Pappas Honors Arab American Leaders during Heritage Month Celebration

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Cook County Treasurer Pappas Honors Arab American Leaders during Heritage Month Celebration

Cook County Treasurer Pappas Honors Arab American Leaders during Heritage Month Celebration Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas celebrated Arab American Heritage Month by recognizing more than two dozen distinguished business, civic, political and religious leaders from across Chicagoland at a ceremony on Wednesday, April 29th. The event took place today, Wednesday, April 29, 2026 at 2…

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Activism, American Arabs, Christian & Muslim, Culture, Event, Events, Food, News, NewsWire, Palestine & Jordan, Press Releases

Hearing this week on bill to repeal Illinois’ discriminatory BDS bill

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Hearing this week on bill to repeal Illinois’ discriminatory BDS bill

Hearing this week on bill to repeal Illinois’ discriminatory BDS bill Statement from State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid on the drive to repeal the discriminatory anti-BDS Bill in Pringfield: The Illinois Human Rights Advocacy Protection Act, HB 2723, is officially in committee, and the hearing is scheduled for Thursday. Our bill repeals Illinois’ 2015 anti-boycott law,…

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American Arabs, Christian & Muslim, Civil Rights, Culture, Islamophobia, Israel, News, NewsWire, Palestine & Jordan, Politics, racism, Spotlight

Chicago to dedicate street in honor of Arab American businessman Jamil “Jimmy” Ayesh

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Chicago to dedicate street in honor of Arab American businessman Jamil “Jimmy” Ayesh

Chicago to dedicate street in honor of Arab American businessman Jamil “Jimmy” Ayesh Jamil “Jimmy” Ayesh owned a grocery store that helped all of the neighbors in the Back of the Yards community. In honor of his legacy, Chicago will install an honorary sign recognizing his humanity. The street sign placement will be dedicated on…

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American Arabs, Business, Christian & Muslim, Culture, immigrants, News, NewsWire, Palestine & Jordan, Photographs, Spotlight

Israel’s death penalty law constitutes discriminatory regime of capital punishment: UN experts

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Israel’s death penalty law constitutes discriminatory regime of capital punishment: UN experts

Israel’s death penalty law constitutes discriminatory regime of capital punishment: UN experts  Israel’s new law effectively providing for the death penalty solely against Palestinians constitutes a discriminatory regime of capital punishment and manifestly violates Israel’s obligations under international human rights law, UN experts* said today. “We condemn the Knesset’s adoption of this law and call…

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Christian & Muslim, Israel, Middle East, News, NewsWire, Palestine & Jordan, racism, Terrorism

National Arab American Heritage Month Launches April 1, 2026—Arab America Foundation Unites Communities Nationwide

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National Arab American Heritage Month Launches April 1, 2026—Arab America Foundation Unites Communities Nationwide

National Arab American Heritage Month Launches April 1, 2026—Arab America Foundation Unites Communities Nationwide April 2026 is National Arab American Heritage Month in the United States WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 1, 2026)— The Arab America Foundation (AAF) is leading the nationwide celebration of National Arab American Heritage Month (NAAHM) this April, uniting communities across the United States…

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American Arabs, Christian & Muslim, Culture, Event, Events, Features, News, NewsWire, Palestine & Jordan, Spotlight

Arab Center Washington D.C. hosts conference on Trump upending democracy and diplomacy April 9, 2026

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Arab Center Washington D.C. hosts conference on Trump upending democracy and diplomacy April 9, 2026

Arab Center Washington D.C. hosts conference on Trump upending democracy and diplomacy April 9, 2026 Chicago, IL — The Arab Center of Washington D.C. has a power-packed program to address the dramatic international foreign policy changes and policies being pursued by President Donald Trump. Trump was inaugurated to his second term in January 2025, succeeding…

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American Arabs, Arab Center Washington DC, Arab Radio, Arab World, Arab World Politics, Christian & Muslim, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Middle East, News, NewsWire, Palestine & Jordan, Podcast, Politics, Radio Podcast, Ray Hanania, Spotlight, US Arab Politics, war, war crimes

ADC Sues City of Miami Beach for Silencing Pro-Palestine Speech

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ADC Sues City of Miami Beach for Silencing Pro-Palestine Speech

ADC Sues City of Miami Beach for Silencing Pro-Palestine Speech The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) today filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Miami Beach, its mayor Steven Meiner, and several other city officials for violating the First Amendment rights of Raquel Pacheco, a veteran and resident of Miami Beach, after police were sent to…

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Activism, Legal, News, NewsWire, Palestine & Jordan, racism

Heeb Magazine offers new podcast, and join Heeb Media Guild

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Heeb Magazine offers new podcast, and join Heeb Media Guild

Heeb Magazine offers new podcast, and join Heeb Media Guild Your friends at Heeb have been busy! In this issue: It’s a podcast network! We found your long lost Heeb t-shirt Does Bibi belong in jail? A nostalgic newsletter for OG Heebsters Join the Heeb Media Guild Check it all out below! Introducing… the Heeb…

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Activism, Commentary, Entertainment, Israel, Journalism, Middle East, News, NewsWire, Palestine & Jordan, Politics, Satire

Jared Kushner tells it straight on Gaza and Iran at FII Conference

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Jared Kushner tells it straight on Gaza and Iran at FII Conference

Jared Kushner tells it straight on Gaza and Iran at FII Conference By Ray Hanania Miami, Fl – President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, a Special Peace Envoy for Gaza and Ukraine, acknowledged during a presentation at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) Priority Summit in Miami Thursday, that he has been criticized by all sides…

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Book Review, Israel, News, News Media, NewsWire, Palestine & Jordan, Politics, racism, US Arab Politics, war crimes

CAIR-Chicago Stands with Mayor Brandon Johnson in Affirming Equal Protection Against All Hate Crimes

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CAIR-Chicago Stands with Mayor Brandon Johnson in Affirming Equal Protection Against All Hate Crimes

CAIR-Chicago Stands with Mayor Brandon Johnson in Affirming Equal Protection Against All Hate Crimes (CHICAGO, IL, 3/27/2026) — The Council on American-Islamic Relations, Chicago office (CAIR-Chicago), today expressed its strong support for Mayor Brandon Johnson’s position that all hate crimes must be addressed with equal urgency and seriousness, amid ongoing public debate following the resignation of…

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American Arabs, Christian & Muslim, Civil Rights, Human Rights, Islamophobia, Media Bias, News, NewsWire, Palestine & Jordan, Politics, racism, Spotlight

Ruzevich race for Congress showcases challenges facing pro-Arab candidates

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Ruzevich race for Congress showcases challenges facing pro-Arab candidates

Ruzevich race for Congress showcases challenges facing pro-Arab candidates By Ray Hanania One of the few races that many people in the Arab American community were very hopeful about was the challenge to unresponsive Congressman Sean Casten in the 6th Congressional District by Joseph “Joey” Ruzevich, political consultant and deputy campaign manager Sawsan Abubaker said…

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American Arabs, Christian & Muslim, Election, News, NewsWire, Palestine & Jordan, Politics, racism, Ray Hanania, Spotlight, The Arab Street, US Arab Politics, Women's rights

Celebrate National Arab American Heritage Month 2026

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Celebrate National Arab American Heritage Month 2026

Celebrate National Arab American Heritage Month 2026 Join us for the Arab America Foundation’s Ninth Annual National Arab American Heritage Month Signature Event. Thursday, April 16, 2026 Belle Haven Country Club Alexandria, Virginia Early registration: $125 through March 19 Tickets increase to $150 after March 25 This elegant black-tie evening celebrates the theme: Many Voices, One…

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American Arabs, ArabAmerica.com, Culture, Entertainment, Event, Events, News, NewsWire

The Accessible Sea & Aquatics Project (ASAP) Announces Capital Campaign for Advocacy and Programs Benefitting People with Disabilities in Lebanon

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The Accessible Sea & Aquatics Project (ASAP) Announces Capital Campaign for Advocacy and Programs Benefitting People with Disabilities in Lebanon

The Accessible Sea & Aquatics Project (ASAP) Announces Capital Campaign for Advocacy and Programs Benefitting People with Disabilities in Lebanon The Accessible Sea & Aquatics Project is excited to share the official launch of our campaign – Everyone Deserves the Sea – in support of people with disabilities in Lebanon. For too many people with disabilities in…

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American Arabs, Disabilities, Lebanon, Michigan, News, NewsWire

Uniejewski Campaign Launches Second Digital Ad in 6th District State Senate race

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Uniejewski Campaign Launches Second Digital Ad in 6th District State Senate race

Uniejewski Campaign Launches Second Digital Ad in 6th District State Senate race Nick Uniejewski campaign highlights Tribune endorsement and sharp contrast in 6th District State Senate race. Releases new digital campaign ad Chicago, IL – Democratic State Senate candidate Nick Uniejewski announced the launch of his second digital advertisement in the 6th District race. The…

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Election, News, Politics

Bushra Amiwala Calls Out Dark Money, ICE Unaccountability in FOX Televised Debate

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Bushra Amiwala Calls Out Dark Money, ICE Unaccountability in FOX Televised Debate

Bushra Amiwala Calls Out Dark Money, ICE Unaccountability in FOX Televised Debate CHICAGO, IL — Congressional candidate Bushra Amiwala participated in the FOX 32 Chicago 9th Congressional District debate on Wednesday evening alongside other leading candidates. She used the platform to call out dark money in politics. Moderator Paris Schutz asked Amiwala whether three of…

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Election, News, Politics