Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem
By Usama Ghanayem You do not have to be a brain surgeon to see what is happening in Palestine. Israel is trying to eviscerate the Palestinians entirely. They have turned the West Bank into a series of bantustans. Meaning, the occupied territories have been turned into fragmented enclaves surrounded by high walls, guard towers, “Jewish only”…
Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act set to expire International Terrorism remains a continued risk 13 years since Sept. 11 The year-end expiration of the federal Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (TRIPRA), and its uncertain future, is creating capacity and pricing issues for terrorism insurance buyers, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.). “The…
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International Human Rights groups argue proposed Arab Court for Human Rights needs more work On 31 August, 17 regional and international human rights organizations sent a joint statement to Arab foreign ministers, urging them to delay their adoption of a statute on an Arab Court for Human Rights. The foreign ministers are scheduled –according to the Secretary…
American Human Rights Council commemorates 13th anniversary of Sept. 11 terrorist attacks The American Human Rights Council (AHRC) joins the nation and peace- loving people worldwide in commemorating the 13th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on our nation. Congress declared September 11 Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance, commonly…
Salaita hires powerful civil rights legal team, demands reinstatement UIUC By Ray Hanania Steven Salaita, who was fired before he could begin a new teaching position at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, said he is the victim of a nationwide campaign to silence critics of a foreign country, Israel, and demanded that the university’s reinstate his tenured appointment…
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Campaign to nominate Emir of Kuwait for Nobel Peace Prize By Ali Younes A group of young Kuwaitis are working to nominate the Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Sabah for the Nobel Peace prize next year for his work in promoting peace, charity and understandings among the nations. On Tuesday UN Secretary General…
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Christian Arab presence in Bethlehem in Crisis By Ray Hanania The issue of Christians in the Holy Land continues to be a topic that is twisted and distorted for political purposes with Muslims and Jews both arguing they do more for the increasingly deteriorating presence in traditionally Christian areas like Bethlehem, Beit Jala and Beit Sahour in the Israeli…
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Pro-Palestinian group publishes ads challenging Israeli Apartheid practices Ads Against Apartheid runs ad highlighting Israeli theft of Palestinian land in Boston’s Metro newspaper Boston, MA – Ads Against Apartheid, a Boston-based education and advocacy organization, published an advertisement Boston’s Metro newspaper this week. The advertisement highlighted Israel’s decision to expropriate almost 1000 acres of land…
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Pro-ISIL Jordanian activist challenges Sotloff family spokesman to debate By Ali Younes In a statement sent to the Arab Daily News last Thursday, well-known Jordanian activist Mohamad Al Hadid challenged Barak Barfi, the spokesman for the family of murdered American Journalist Steven Sotloff, to a debate. Al Hadid said in his statement that he is ready…
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Podcast Interview: Naomi Shihab Nye on books, writing and journalism By Ray Hanania This week on Talk of the Town Radio (Sept. 5, 2014) I interview author and writer Naomi Shihab Nye. The show is broadcast every Friday at 4 pm CST on WCEV 1450 AM and on YahalaVoice.com radio. Naomi discusses her writing and…
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APO Spirit at the Big Fat Kurdish Wedding! By Abdennour Toumi Derbassiya, Turkey — Here in Turkey Kurdistan is very dear to the hearts and minds of Kurds across the region, including Mesopotamia and other historical places, and I wonder if any people have occupied such a unique position before. Certainly Kurdistan is very dear in…
Update to Gaza Sisters Story By Lilas Taha My family and I took a quick trip to Palestine in August. I was fortunate enough to meet with a doctor in Jerusalem, who was given permission to go into Gaza during the ceasefire that held for 5 days before the fighting resumed ending with the permanent…
The Palestinian Nuclear Option: the Road to ICC Membership By Ali Younes As soon as the war on Gaza that started on July 8 and lasted for 51 days ended the pressure started mounting on Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas to file an application with the International Criminal Court ( ICC) as a way to punish…
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BDS protests against Israeli Apartheid in Houston planned Saturday Sept. 6 Houstonians Are Invited to Join the Worldwide Movement to Save Palestine: Educational Gathering on Boycotts, Divestments, and Sanctions (BDS) Against Israeli Apartheid This Saturday The community will gather to spread awareness about the worldwide Boycotts, Divestments, and Sanctions (BDS) Movement, which calls for conscious…
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Kerry appoints Shaarik Zafar Special Rep to Muslim Communities By Ray Hanania U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry Wednesday announced the appointment of Shaarik H. Zafar as the State Department’s new “Special Representative to Muslim Communities” in the United States and the international community. The appointment was made at a closed ceremony at the Dean Acheson…
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Mandy Patinkin for Israeli Prime Minister Stephen Colbert for SECURITY By Eileen Fleming On Tuesday Mandy Patinkin announced on The Colbert Report that he wants to run for Prime Minister of Israel after the fourth season of Homeland. In the series Mandy Patinkin plays CIA Middle-East Division Chief Saul Berenson and he prefaced his announcement…
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American Arab and Muslim groups denounce ISIS beheadings By Ray Hanania American Arab and Muslim organizations in the United States this week were among the voices denouncing the brutal murders of two journalists in the past two weeks including the horrendous decapitation James Foley and Steven Sotloff. Statements were released by many groups, but surprisingly, many…
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Finding the elusive Moral High Ground in Israel-Gaza War By Ray Hanania Creators Syndicate, August 28, 2014 Two-States, the plan to establish a Palestinian State on lands Israel occupied during the 1967 War, seems like an impossible task given the increasing animosity between Israelis and Jews, and Palestinians and Arabs. Yet, I have mixed feelings and…
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