Category Archives: Arab Spring

‘FEMEN’ and the suppression of native voices

Posted on April 6, 2013 by Roqayah Chamseddine

I loathe the premise that people of colour should be ‘grateful’ that others are taking notice of their subjugation, or that they should bite their tongues and clench their fists and instead show gratitude because their varied plights are being in some way ‘acknowledged‘ by others.

Posted in Arab Spring, Middle East, US Politics, War on Terror | 36 Comments

Amina Tyler’s naked activism

Posted on April 1, 2013 by @WomanUnveiled

Here’s the story of Amina Tyler, a 19-year- young woman who has brewed a storm of controversy in Tunisia. Tyler around 10 days ago posted two photos of herself topless on Facebook. The first image showed Amina with the words “F*** your morals” written across her chest. The second has the words “My body belongs to me and is not the source of anyone’s honor” written in Arabic.

Posted in Arab Spring, Middle East | 51 Comments

Obama went to Israel to try to rescue the state from deepening isolation

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Alex Kane

Unconditional American support only goes so far when the rest of the world is turning against you. That’s why Barack Obama went to Israel– to try and help Israel break out of its deepening political loneliness with an effort to jumpstart negotiations and reconcile Turkey to Israel. Will it work? By most indications, Israel’s actions and political system will continue to isolate the country.

Posted in Arab Spring, Israel/Palestine, Israeli Government, Middle East, Settlers/Colonists, US Policy in the Middle East, US Politics | 60 Comments

They Can’t Hide the Sun: An interview with Omar Barghouti

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Peter Rugh

Peter Rugh interviews Omar Barghouti about the Brooklyn College controversy, the global BDS movement and the Arab Spring rebellions across the Arab world.

Posted in Activism, Arab Spring, BDS, Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, Middle East, Occupation, US Politics | 31 Comments

Why should I be accused of being Westernized?

Posted on December 24, 2012 by Sameeha Elwan

“Westernized” is very often the first accusation pointed in your face when attempting to discuss or even try to raise gender matters in our society.” Especially if it stems from someone who has just come back from abroad, let alone it being a woman. I cannot deny that being abroad for the first time in my whole life has put me in a very serious confrontation with my own identity not only as a Palestinian, or as a Muslim but also as a woman.

Posted in Arab Spring, Gaza | 25 Comments

Following Yarmouk attack, thousands of Palestinians flee Syria for uncertain future in Lebanon

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Allison Deger

Following air strikes Sunday by the Syrian military on the country’s largest refugee camp, Palestinians are fleeing from the relative shelter of refugee status in Syria to strapped aid services in Lebanon. Once home to 150,000 refugees, Yarmouk camp in Damascus has emptied with Palestinian leaving en masse for the first time since violence erupted two years ago for the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad.

Posted in Arab Spring, Israel/Palestine, Middle East, syria | 6 Comments

Meshaal arrives in Palestine, calls for unification

Posted on December 8, 2012 by Annie Robbins

Gaza commemorates the 25th anniversary of the First Intifada and of the founding of Hamas with the arrival of Khaled Meshaal

Posted in Arab Spring, Gaza, Israel/Palestine, Middle East, Nakba | Tagged | 97 Comments

‘NYT’ analysis that Gaza assault was ‘test run’ for Iran war is ripped apart

Posted on November 28, 2012 by Alex Kane

After the assault on Gaza was over, The New York Times printed a story pointing to Iran as a motivation for why Israel waged its assault. But a series of analysts dispute that claim for various reasons.

Posted in Arab Spring, Gaza, Iran, Israel/Palestine, Middle East, US Policy in the Middle East | 9 Comments

Israel’s War on Children: Jenin school occupied and 10-year-old Hebron child arrested

Posted on November 14, 2012 by Today in Palestine

Army Occupies School In Jenin Israeli soldiers invaded, on Tuesday evening, a school east of Jenin city, in the northern part of the West Bank, and used it as a military post and monitoring tower. link to www.imemc.org Israeli forces … Continue reading →

Posted in Activism, American Jewish Community, Arab Spring, BDS, Egypt, Gaza, Israel/Palestine, Israeli Government, Media, Occupation, On the ground reports, One state/Two states, Settlers/Colonists, syria, Today in Palestine, US Policy in the Middle East | Comments Off

US immigration officials detain and interrogate Imran Khan about drones and who’s pushing the State Department

Posted on October 28, 2012 by Annie Robbins

U.S. Immigration detained Imran Khan in Canada on Saturday as he was boarding a plane for New York to attend a fundraiser. They  interrogated him for 2 hours over his views on drones. Khan made big waves last month leading … Continue reading →

Posted in Arab Spring, Israel/Palestine, Middle East, US Policy in the Middle East, US Politics, War on Terror | 24 Comments

Israeli ambassador Michael Oren gets hero’s welcome in liberal enclave of Brooklyn

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Alex Kane

On Monday, Michael Oren, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, addressed a packed house at Congregation Beth Elohim in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Throughout the talk, Oren painted a picture of a blameless Israel, where a belligerent occupation, radical and racist settlers and the crippling blockade on Gaza didn’t exist. Above, Oren (center) poses with Rabbi Andy Bachman, on the right.

Posted in American Jewish Community, Arab Spring, BDS, Israel/Palestine, Middle East, US Politics | Tagged , | 33 Comments

Rice on the warpath against Hezbollah at the UN

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Annie Robbins

Both U.S. and Israeli ambassadors to the UN addressed Hezbollah at the UN Security Council meeting yesterday after Hezbollah Secretary General Hasan Nasrallah confirmed on Saturday it was Hezbollah who sent the drone shot down by Israel. U.S. Ambassador Susan … Continue reading →

Posted in Arab Spring, Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, Israeli Government, Middle East, Nakba, Occupation, syria, US Policy in the Middle East, US Politics, War on Terror | 55 Comments

Hezbollah confirms it sent drone shot down by Israel

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Annie Robbins

In a shocking radio address in Lebanon, Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah just announced the drone brought down by Israel last Saturday indeed originated from Hezbollah. Nasrallah also announced the drone was Irainian made but assembled by members of Hezbollah. … Continue reading →

Posted in Arab Spring, Israel/Palestine, Israeli Government, Middle East | 123 Comments

Anti-Obama infomerical confirms Israel’s role as a partisan election issue

Posted on October 3, 2012 by Annie Robbins

Check out this 18 minute anti Obama infomercial from RightChange.com titled “Absolutely Uncertain”.

Posted in American Jewish Community, Arab Spring, Egypt, Iran, Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, Israeli Government, Media, Middle East, Neocons, US Policy in the Middle East, US Politics | 39 Comments

Anti-Muslim men behaving badly

Posted on September 21, 2012 by Allison Deger

Mousata Bayoumi says the anti-Muslim film attributed to causing mass protest in the Middle East is actually an “archly stupid” scapegoat that reflects the far-right’s influence over media, not unlike the “manufactured controversy over the ‘Ground Zero mosque.’”

Posted in Arab Spring, Egypt, Israel/Palestine, Media, Middle East, US Policy in the Middle East, US Politics | 5 Comments

Friedman’s mirror

Posted on September 20, 2012 by Belén Fernández

Thomas Friedman’s latest column, “Look in Your Mirror,” contains research provided to him by the neo-conservative propaganda think tank, the Middle East Media Research Institute.

Posted in Arab Spring, Egypt, Israel/Palestine, Middle East, US Policy in the Middle East, US Politics, War on Terror | 62 Comments

British blowback and the killing of the US ambassador in Libya

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Nu'man Abd al-Wahid

Inevitably and tragically the United States has once again experienced a blowback of a policy not of its sole provenance.

Posted in Arab Spring, Media, Middle East, US Policy in the Middle East, US Politics | 10 Comments

Rocks For Palestine

Posted on August 30, 2012 by Roqayah Chamseddine

‘Rocks For Palestine’, is a poem creatively drawn out in Arabic calligraphy by Everitte Barbee.

Posted in Arab Spring, Israel/Palestine, Middle East, Nakba, Occupation | 4 Comments

‘Al Jazeera’ reports Syrian regime committed Houla massacre in effort to ignite sectarian conflict

Posted on August 17, 2012 by Philip Weiss

Last May 25, 108 people were massacred at Houla near Homs, Syria. Al Jazeera report confirms that gov’t militias carried out the attacks

Posted in Arab Spring, Middle East, syria | 175 Comments

Fallout of Attack: Egypt launches Sinai air raids

Posted on August 8, 2012 by Annie Robbins

The deadly attack on Egyptian soldiers in the Sinai last Sunday evening, where masked gunmen in Bedouin clothing killed 16 border guards, hijacked two armored vehicles and attacked an Israeli border post threaten an already tense ‘peace’ along Egypt’s border with Israel and Gaza.

Posted in Arab Spring, Egypt, Gaza, Israel/Palestine, Israeli Government, Middle East, Nakba, Occupation | 167 Comments

Syria updates

Posted on August 6, 2012 by Annie Robbins

Lots has been happening in Syria over the weekend so let’s take a look at some recent coverage. 48 Iranians were kidnapped by an opposition militia in Damascus on Saturday. Iran claims they were religious pilgrims and the Syrian opposition … Continue reading →

Posted in Arab Spring, Middle East, syria | 68 Comments

The road to Damascus runs through Palestine: Linkage and a comprehensive peace

Posted on August 6, 2012 by Stephen Sheehi

Linkage between the plights of the Palestinian people and the Syrian people must be made visible if the Syrian people are to escape the death-embrace of hypocritical imperialist Western powers and client Arab and Zionist allies.

Posted in Arab Spring, Israel/Palestine, Middle East, syria, US Policy in the Middle East, US Politics | 8 Comments

Syrian crisis moves into the camps: 20 Palestinians killed in Damascus refugee camp

Posted on August 4, 2012 by Allison Deger and Tareq Alsamman

The Palestinian camps in Syria have again been engulfed by the crisis in the country as 20 refugees were killed August 2nd in a Damascus United Nations-run camp. While international news agencies and the UN have not named the al-Assad regime as responsible for the Palestinians’ deaths, a spokesman for Yarmouk camp and citizen journalist, Ramy al-Asheq, confirmed that the al-Assad regime and pro-government militias were behind the two fatal blasts that targeted civilians at a mini-market in an outdoor souq.

Posted in Arab Spring, Israel/Palestine, Middle East, syria | 108 Comments

Diane Rehm gets chatty on Syria, asks how assassinations of regime officials occurred

Posted on July 26, 2012 by Annie Robbins

Last week, top Assad regime officials were assassinated in a brazen bomb attack. Journalist Diane Rehm asks an intriguing question: ‘how were those assassinations carried out? Was it the Israelis? Was it the Americans? How was it done?’

Posted in Arab Spring, Israel/Palestine, Israeli Government, Middle East | 18 Comments

When I Stoop: A poem for Mahmoud al-Sarsak

Posted on July 25, 2012 by Refaat Alareer

Mahmoud al-Sarsak’s historic hunger strike made him ‘the prisoner who imprisoned his jailer.’

Posted in Arab Spring, Gaza, Israel/Palestine, Israeli Government, Middle East, Nakba, Occupation | 3 Comments