Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem
While Americans are among the most traveled people on the planet, one place they are avoiding is the Middle East and Arab countries. At one time, the Middle East was a favored destination to Americans but these days with the rising Islamic extremism, the violence and continued conflicts, tourism to the Arab World from the…
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By James M. Dorsey A series of recent mass protests in several Arab countries have called into question suggestions that civil wars, brutal crackdowns and military coups and interventions have quelled popular willingness to stand up for rights in the Middle East. The protests, although focussed on specific social and economic demands, fundamentally have the…
Read More “The Middle East: Who says popular quest for change has been quelled?” »
A proposal to build a mosque in Sterling Heights, a suburb of Detroit, has attracted a lot of anger and protests from the public including Middle East Christians who were among the most vociferous in their opposition. The protests included complaints about traffic but also addressed issues of racism and stereotypes against Muslims. Mosque issue will…
Read More “Community protests building of mosque in Detroit suburb” »
By James M. Dorsey The Turkish Football Federation (TFF), in a demonstration of the inseparable ties between sports and politics, has effectively declared its support for renewed Turkish-Kurdish hostilities designed to enhance the prospects of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling party in forthcoming snap elections. With armed Kurdish youth effectively taking control of at least one…
Read More “Turkish soccer supports Erdogan’s war against the Kurds” »
Congressman Seth Moulton, a combat veteran, shares why he supports the Iran deal and why he’s urging others to do the same. By Congressman Seth Moulton I was in the first company of Marines to enter Baghdad in 2003 As a combat veteran, I know the cost of war. It is something I still carry…
Read More “American veteran supports Iran deal on nuclear arms” »
Three of America’s top airlines — American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Airlines — have launched a campaign to block the commercial services of Qatar Airways, Emirates Airlines and Etihad Airways which provide direct flights to popular destinations in the gulf, such as Dubai. They complain the Arab airlines receive subsidies from their governments, but they are silent about subsidies…
More than a year has passed since Israel attacked the Gaza Strip and destroyed tens of thousands of homes businesses and schools, killing more than 2,200 people, mostly civilians and including nearly 500 children. Israel continues to block the passage of building supplies, food and funds into the Gaza Strip, even though Israeli propagandists continue to insist that…
The greatest power in America and the world is strategic communications. It can make the truth look like a lie, and a lie look like the truth. While Israel masters the art of strategic communications, the Arab World has failed to use it resulting in the increasing world stereotypes that are driving the devastation of the…
Read More “Palestinian failures come down to absence of strategic PR” »
How do you explain to the Israeli Authorities the ancient unbroken Christian traditions that should be carried out for pure witness and faith? Christians lucky enough to have permits to enter Jerusalem gathered from all corners of the Holy Land for the annual procession of the icon for the Holy Virgin Mary three days before the special…
Read More “What are Christians Doing Today in the Holy Land?” »
Upstate New York Man Convicted for his Role in Attempting to Develop Lethal Radiation Device, targeting Arab and Muslim Americans in a case of increasing domestic terrorism and violence by White Americans provoked to hatred by strident racist rhetoric. American racist hate refocusing on Arabs and Muslims By Ray Hanania In the wake of warnings from…
Read More “White terrorist convicted in plot to kill Muslims” »
When was the last time an Arab organization elected a Jew to head one of its pro-Democracy movements? Or when a Muslim group elected a Christian to lead its fight for justice? Or maybe a Jewish group electing a Muslim to lead its student movement? J Street answered this last one loud and clear By…
By James M. Dorsey A shadowy group of militant soccer fans that has largely lied low since it participated in mass anti-government protests in 2013 that led to the military overthrow of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi has claimed responsibility for a car bomb near a Cairo security building that injured at least six policemen. Whether…
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An internal FBI memo obtained by Public Intelligence, the independent news research group, reported last May that extremist and armed American militia groups were planning a campaign of violence targeting Muslim groups, including Muslim and Arab institutions such as mosques and schools. The FBI bulletin was released to police agencies weeks prior to a planned anti-Muslim rally in Phoenix…
Read More “Right wing militias targeting Mosque and Muslim groups” »
By James M. Dorsey Discontent is bubbling over among the majority Shiite population in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, home to the kingdom’s major oil fields and petrochemical industry. Disgruntlement is no less in the Iranian province of Khuzestan where up to 90 percent of Iran’s oil reserves are located. Iranian Arabs, who account for approximately…
Read More “Saudi Arabia and Iran: Volatile Political Geography of Oil and Minorities” »
Although fanatic extremists who embrace violence and terrorism have control of Israel’s government, many moderate Israelis who oppose the rising stridency of the Israeli conservatives continue to push for peace and justice. The same battle is being waged here in America among American Jews speaking out against extremism, not just in the Arab World but in their…
Read More “Israeli leaders who challenge Israel’s extremists” »
This September 28th Trevor Noah’s “ass” will occupy Jon Stewart’s “same chair.” As Eileen Fleming, Senior Non-Arab Correspondent for USA’s The Arab Daily News keeps “smelling” BULLS**T because of Israel’s Nuclear Whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu and Apartheid Israeli style, she will persist to speak up! The 31-year-old South African said, “I didn’t live a normal…
Read More “Will The Daily Show with Trevor Noah Talk with this Senior Correspondent?” »
Love doesn’t involve divinity — sometimes it takes a visit to a mystic place to realize the depth of tolerance. In Konya just to stop at the tomb of Jalal Eddine Rumi one can vehemently feel the love for humanity. By Abdennour Toumi Konya, Turkey — In the heart of Anatolia in the middle of its great wild…
By Ali Younes In another sign of the increased cooperation and strategic military alliance between Israel and Jordan, news reports said that Israel will supply Jordan with two types of drones to help Jordan fight the Islamic State in Iraq, ISIS OR ISIL. The London based Jane’s Defense magazine which reported the news earlier this…
Read More “Israel is Helping Jordanian Special Forces Fighting ISIS on the Ground in Iraq” »