Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem
Darrell Issa retires from California’s 49th Congressional seat This morning, Arab American Congressman Darrell Issa (R-Vista, CA) released the following statement: “Two decades ago, when I stepped away from the business I’d built to enter public service, I never could have imagined that a long-shot bid for U.S. Senate would lead to 18 years in…
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Fifth Wednesday Journal publishes essays from Middle East writers Fifth Wednesday Journal, a twice yearly publication, released its latest issue which focuses on the experiences and writings of authors whose origins trace to the Middle East and North Africa. The Journal features the submissions of 33 authors and photographers and is now available for purchase….
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Jewish Voice for Peace denounces Israeli blacklist Letter from Jewish Voice for Peace Executive Director Rebecca Vilkomerson: I’m equal parts furious and sad: The Israeli Strategic Affairs Ministry put Jewish Voice for Peace on the list of organizations now officially banned from entering the state of Israel. We’re racing to figure out what this means and…
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Reaction to Trump’s recognition of Occupied Jerusalem as Israel’s capital Here’s a round-up of some of the reaction to President Trump’s decision to recognize Occupied Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel: (Click here to read President Trump’s statement) Yuseff Munayyer, US Campaign for Palestinian Rights: “Trump is telling Israel that its current separate-and-unequal – otherwise…
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American views of Arabs and Muslims improve, AAI study shows Poll Shows Positive Shift Accompanied by a Deep Partisan Rift in Americans’ Views of Arabs & Muslims. This, in the face of an Increase in Hate Crimes & Bigotry (Washington) The Arab American Institute (AAI) released a new poll today, examining American Attitudes towards Arabs, Muslims,…
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NY Theater presents Arab American struggles in Jim Crow era NEW YORK THEATER COMPANY PRESENTS ARAB AMERICAN STRUGGLES IN JIM CROW SOUTH Noor Theatre makes Michigan debut at Arab American National Museum Dec. 8 as part of Museum’s Artists + Residents program Dearborn, Mich. (Nov. 29, 2017) – The Global Fridays Fall 2017 season at…
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An American Arab Thanksgiving Remembering back to the 1960s when Arab Americans had hope for freedom and racism in America was focused elsewhere. Thanksgiving was a feast in Arab American homes in the 1960s and 1970s before politics, hatred, racism and Israeli violence created a refugee crisis By Ray Hanania Thanksgiving is a special holiday…
2017 Annual Arab-American Heritage Month Courthouse Tour In honor of Arab-American Heritage Month, Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans hosted a tour of the Richard J. Daley Center on Wednesday November 15, 2017. Co-sponsoring the tour was the Arab-American Bar Association of Illinois. The Annual Arab-American heritage Month Courthouse tour is part of the court’s year-round…
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McCollum introduces bill to protect Palestinian children U.S. Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) today introduced legislation— the Promoting Human Rights by Ending Israeli Military Detention of Palestinian Children Act — to prevent United States tax dollars from supporting the Israeli military’s ongoing detention and mistreatment of Palestinian children. The full text of the bill can be found here. An estimated…
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Adam Levinson releases new book The Abu Dhabi Bar Mitzvah The Abu Dhabi Bar Mitzvah: Fear and Love in the Modern Middle East By Adam Valen Levinson In THE ABU DHABI BAR MITZVAH: Fear and Love in the Modern Middle East [W. W. Norton & Company; November 14, 2017; $25.95 hardcover], Valen Levinson, armed only with college…
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Faith groups oppose denial of civil rights to critics of Israel Faith Groups Publish Statement Defending First Amendment Right to Boycott Friends of Sabeel North America, FOSNA, announces a full-page statement published today in The Kansas City Star on behalf of the Presbyterian Church USA, United Church of Christ, Alliance of Baptists, American Friends Service Committee,…
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Illinois Governor Rauner promises to turn in names of Arab activists to Israel Racist Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner promises to provide Israel, a foreign country, with intelligence information on American citizens living in Illinois as a part of anti-Terrorism security measures. The Governor made the promises during a weeklong visit to Israel this week. By…
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Reza Aslan publishes new book on God On Nov. 7, my newest book will be released, and I couldn’t be more excited to share it with you all. God: A Human History narrates the history of religion as a remarkably cohesive attempt to understand the divine by giving it human traits and emotions — often…
Imam Mohammed Zafarullah will serve the Chicagoland Community Hundreds of Muslims Welcome New Imam Mohammed Zafarullah to Bait-ul-Jaamay Mosque Imam Mohammed Zafarullah serves as a Missionary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA, the oldest Muslim organization in the United States, est 1920. Under the direction and guidance of His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the Khalifa…
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“Hurricane Israel” causes more damage than “Hurricane Harvey” Growing extremism in the BDS movement is weakening the Palestinian fight for justice. BDS can be so much more effective and powerful if it focused less on hating Israel and boycotting reality and instead focusing more on its core strength, exposing Israel’s government civil rights violations and…
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DOD Says truth on Niger more important than USS Liberty “DoD Owes Families, Nation Information on Niger Action” but NOT on USS Liberty Attack by Joe Meadors, USS Liberty Survivor Four Green Berets were Killed in Action in Niger. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford, held a prolonged,…
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Churches for Middle East Peace: Pilgrimage to Peace (P2P) Tour with Daoud Nassar Washington, D.C. – October 23, 2017 – From October 16 to 22 Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) hosted Daoud Nassar for a series of talks about daily life in the West Bank, human rights concerns, and peacebuilding as part of CMEP’s…
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Remembering two iconic champions of Palestinian rights M. Cherif Bassiouni recently passed away, ending a life of struggle against justice including for the rights of Palestinians. Bassiouni was one of two great icons who mentored me into activism for Palestinian rights when I was younger. What they once represented is often difficult to find in…
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