Category: Features

Israeli journalist reports on challenges of Syrian refugees

October 2, 2015October 2, 2015 rayhanania No Comments

Plight of Syrian refugees traveling through Europe documented in video by Israeli journalist Seth Frantzman By Ray Hanania Israeli journalist and writer Seth J. Frantzman has produced an insightful video documentary on the challenges of the plight of Syrian refugees called “The Human Face of the European Union Refugee Crisis.” The documentary is a collection…

Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Europe, Features, Ray Hanania, Syria, Video

New Book Release: “An Improbable Friendship”

September 29, 2015September 29, 2015 rayhanania No Comments

“The Secret”: An Improbable Friendship: The Remarkable Lives of Israeli Ruth Dayan and Palestinian Raymonda Tawil and Their 40-Year Peace Mission By Anthony David When Ruth Dayan phoned me up and promised to share a secret with me, I was teaching at Al Quds University in the occupied West Bank. Why would the wife of Moshe Dayan, the…

Arab World, Authors, Features, Israel, Palestine & Jordan

Jordan nominates “Theeb” for 88th Academy Awards

September 25, 2015 rayhanania No Comments

Jordan nominates “Theeb” for 88th Academy Awards Award–winning Jordanian feature narrative “Theeb”, by director Naji Abu Nowar, is Jordan’s official submission for the Best Foreign Language Film category of the 88th Academy Awards, the Royal Film Commission (RFC) announced recently. The selection was made by a committee of Jordanian artists and craftspeople involved in the…

Arab World, Entertainment, Features, Movies, News, Palestine & Jordan

Americans are not traveling to the Middle East

August 29, 2015October 2, 2018 rayhanania 2 Comments

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…

American Arabs, Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Features, Gulf States, Palestine & Jordan, Ray Hanania, Travel

What are Christians Doing Today in the Holy Land?

August 25, 2015August 25, 2015 Maria Khoury 1 Comment

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…

Arab World, Bloggers, Christian & Muslim, Commentary, Editors Picks, Features, Israel, Maria Khoury, Palestine & Jordan, religion

Konya: When the Mind Meets the Heart

August 18, 2015August 18, 2015 Abdennour Toumi No Comments

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…

Abdennour Toumi, Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Features

Palestinian Film “The Wanted 18” speaks to Israeli occupation

August 16, 2015August 16, 2015 rayhanania 1 Comment

In the award-winning documentary The Wanted 18, directors Amer Shomali and Paul Cowan bring to life a remarkable story of nonviolent resistance during the First Intifada. The animated documentary speaks to the reality of the Israeli occupation on Palestinian civilian life. You need to support it By Ray Hanania The Wanted 18 recreates an astonishing true…

American Arabs, Bloggers, Commentary, Editors Picks, Features, Israel, Movies, Palestine & Jordan, Ray Hanania

American man joins Libyan revolution in ‘Point and Shoot’

August 4, 2015October 30, 2018 rayhanania No Comments

Matt VanDyke, a timid 26-year-old with obsessive-compulsive disorder, left home in Baltimore in 2006 for what he called a “crash course in manhood.” He bought a motorcycle, a video camera and set-off to film himself on a multi-year, 35,000-mile odyssey through North Africa and the Middle East. When revolution broke out in Libya, he joined…

American Arabs, Arab World, Editors Picks, Entertainment, Features, Movies, News

The Quintessential Mustache: Facial Hair in Turkish Politics

July 9, 2015July 9, 2015 Abdennour Toumi No Comments

How you trim your mustache can have meaning in terms of your politics in some areas of the Arab and Islamic World, but especially in Turkish politics. Your mustache could be as much about your political views as it is about fashion. Maybe the correct phrase is “political fashion.” By Abdennour Toumi Ankara, Turkey — The mustache is not…

Abdennour Toumi, Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Editors Picks, Features

Egyptian American stars in new Cable series on Hacking

July 6, 2015May 1, 2019 rayhanania 1 Comment

Egyptian American Hollywood actor Rami Malek stars in a new hit series “Mr. Robot” on high tech computer warfare and hacking broadcast on the USA Network on Cable Television. Malek joins a small exclusive club of American Arabs who have made it to Hollywood movie and television series fame. By Ray Hanania Every time I…

American Arabs, Bloggers, Commentary, Editors Picks, Entertainment, Features, Ray Hanania

Documentary explores the covering of womens’ hair

June 11, 2015June 12, 2015 rayhanania No Comments

A new documentary by directors Ovidio Salazar and Mazen AlKhayrat explores the cultural and religious practices of women who cover their hair not just in the Middle East but around the world. Titled “The Tainted Veil,” the documentary explores why there is a controversy Anasy Media, a United Arab Emirates production company has completed post-production on…

Arab World, Editors Picks, Features, Press Releases, religion

Syrian refugee invents system to irrigate drought

June 4, 2015April 13, 2019 rayhanania No Comments

A former Syrian journalist forced to flee in the face of oppression and increased violence is rebuilding his life and helping farmers in the Arab World to irrigate drought-ridden farmlands and crops. Ayman Abdel Nour has submitted a patent for his new invention a sub-surface irrigation system to counter the region’s growing shortage of water. By Ray…

American Arabs, Bloggers, Commentary, Features, Gulf States, News, North Africa, Palestine & Jordan, Ray Hanania, Technology

On the campaign trail in Turkey

May 27, 2015 rayhanania No Comments

On the Campaign Trail with AKParti Candidate Mr. Yüksel YENI in northwestern Anatolia. By Abdennour Toumi Bursa, Turkey — On Saturday I got aboard the AKParti “conquer caravan” for two days on the campaign trail with Mr. Yüksel YENI touring the province of Bursa in the Marmara region of northwestern Anatolia. Bursa is the fourth most populous city…

Abdennour Toumi, Arab World, Arab World Politics, Bloggers, Commentary, Editors Picks, Features

Maureen Abood details her love affair with Lebanese food

May 6, 2015 rayhanania 1 Comment

Veteran Lebanese American Arab writer Maureen Abood has just released her debut book and of course, it is about the richness of Lebanese and Arab foods. “Rose Water & Orange Blossoms” is not just a book of recipes but the story of Arabian life which revolves around great tasting foods By Ray Hanania Michigan writer…

American Arabs, Bloggers, Commentary, Editors Picks, Features, Food, Ray Hanania

Would the Arabs be Free Without a State?

April 10, 2015April 11, 2015 Abdennour Toumi No Comments

When the West created the Arab States after their colonization and occupation of the Middle East region after World War I, did they abandon their promises of implementing Democracies? Today’s Arab countries are not Democratic and have never been in a large part because of the failures of the Democratic West. By Abdennour Toumi Ankara, Turkey…

Abdennour Toumi, Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Editors Picks, Features, Gulf States, Palestine & Jordan, Spotlight, Syria

Israel continues violence and land theft at Bil’in

March 26, 2015March 26, 2015 rayhanania No Comments

The Government of Israel continues to destroy lands owned by Palestinian farmers and villagers along the green line, built a wall to separate the village of Bil’in from their rightful lands, and even arrested, imprisoned, shot and killed their residents to prevent Palestinians from protesting Israel’s actions. But justice trumps evil and Israel’s Jewish-only nature will lose By Ray…

Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Editors Picks, Features, Israel, News, Palestine & Jordan, Ray Hanania, Spotlight

Muslim Americans focus of 5-part live performance

March 25, 2015September 24, 2018 rayhanania No Comments

The Greene Space at WNYC & WQXR presents MUSLIM/AMERICAN, a five-part event series kicks off with special advance screening of Aasif Mandvi’s “Halal in the Family” on Thursday, April 9th New York City is home to over 600,000 Muslims, many with strong family ties rooted in cultures from all over the world–Southeast Asia to North Africa, Europe to…

American Arabs, Christian & Muslim, Editors Picks, Entertainment, Features, Press Releases, Spotlight

New book details forced marriage of Arab woman

March 13, 2015 rayhanania No Comments

“A Pissed off Saint” finds strength; Middle Eastern woman offers hope through journey to freedom in her book “A Pissed off Saint.” According to the U.S. Department of State, approximately 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders every year. In order to break the silent struggle of these men, women and children, a survivor of this…

American Arabs, Editors Picks, Entertainment, Features, Gulf States