The Arab American News
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Israel defies freeze on illegal settlements
JERUSALEM — Israel approved plans this week to build 330 new homes in a suburban West Bank settlement north of Jerusalem. The move was denounced by the Palestinian Authority as "a slap in the face of the peace process" and called on the Quartet of the United States, European Union, United Nations and Russia to "act to get Israel to...Time to step back from the brink
WASHINGTON (IPS) — Describing the current Lebanese political impasse as a moment "pregnant with incredible danger," a U.S. expert this week urged rival factions and their international patrons to adopt of a formula of "no victim, no vanquished" in order to mitigate a possible descent into civil war. "When I think back to...
Is a third intifada brewing?
March 14th, 20080 Bethlehem — Fadi al-Amour and his friends – high school seniors – spent more time last week on the street than in class. Every day, they marched on Rachel's Tomb, guarded by Israeli soldiers, and, along with hundreds of other young Palestinians, pelted the nearest symbol of Israeli power with rocks and Molotov cocktails. "We were...Current lull provides opportunity
BEIRUT — Out of crisis comes opportunity, which describes the current brief lull in the war between Israel and the Palestinian resistance movements in Gaza. Rather than just trying to calm things down, this is the moment to push hard diplomatically towards more serious negotiations, on the basis of a new, more credible, balance of...Heads to the right
It is still unclear whether the terrorist who entered the Mercaz Harav yeshiva on Thursday night and killed eight of its students knew exactly what place he was entering. But the thousands of people who walked behind the coffins on Friday knew very well. "The flagship of religious Zionism" was the common expression used, the "holy of...MPAC honors Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus
Announces launch of MPAC-NYC chapter at 2nd annual awards dinner in NYC New York — In front of a packed New York City audience last week, the Muslim Public Affairs Council honored Dr. Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, with the MPAC Foundation's 2nd Annual Human Security Award....
Second Muslim elected to Congress from Indiana
March 14th, 20080 INDIANAPOLIS — The grandson of the late U.S. Rep. Julia Carson won a special election Tuesday to succeed her, keeping the seat in Democratic hands and becoming the second Muslim ever elected to Congress. Democrat Andre Carson had a 5,000-vote lead over Republican Jon Elrod out of nearly 59,000 votes counted. With 88 percent of 445...Behind the McCain lobbyist scandal
I don't know whether Senator John McCain had sex with lobbyist Vickie Iseman, but I do know, first hand, that he broke the rules while doing the bidding of media mogul Lowell "Bud" Paxson, a major contributor to McCain's 2000 presidential campaign. McCain's staff lied it about it then and they are inventing new lies even now. I...Gaza, Obama’s religion and Al-Arian’s nightmare continues
In this new regular feature, I will break down media reporting about issues of interest to Arab Americans. The U.S. media have a responsibility to tell our stories accurately and to include our perspectives. This is unfortunately not the case, though there has been some improvement over the years. This...Anonymous citizen’s gift honors police officers
Recently one morning, I came to work and found a framed copy of a poem on my desk. Called "Everyday Heroes," it pays tribute to people who show heroism in many different ways: from parents who care for their children to men and women whose courage serves — and sometimes even saves — others. I found out that someone had...Islamic law in non-Muslim countries
Recently, Reverend Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury and head of the Church of England, delivered a speech about the inevitability of having an Islamic legal system implemented in Britain. His words caused a media frenzy, as some individuals and organizations politicized his statements, shifting the focus from a legitimate...The mega prisons of Palestine
In several articles published by The Electronic Intifada, I claimed that Israel is pursuing a genocidal policy against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, while continuing the ethnic cleansing of the West Bank. I asserted that the genocidal policies are a result of a lack of strategy. The argument was that since the Israeli political...‘The Band’s Visit’ serves no useful purpose
Arab culture is notorious for its hospitality and emphasis on good manners, among other things. Israeli culture is equally known for its rudeness and bad manners, among other things. These two phenomena collide in "The Band's Visit," a film about the Alexandria Police Orchestra getting lost in Israel on its way to a concert. The...A bid to enroll Arabs in U.S. colleges
MIT students help dispel their fears and doubts about applying to American schools, where they remain a relative minority after 9/11. Cambridge — Like any good high school student, Lana Awad dreamed of an Ivy League education. But when the Syrian teen started applying to Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Princeton...Asylum cases hinge more on luck than law
NEW YORK (IPS) - In January 2006, on the heels of reports of widespread incompetence, injustice, and political cronyism among the judges who decide the fate of thousands of immigrants seeking asylum in the United States, then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales announced a sweeping review of the entire asylum process. Six months later,......
BBC Arabic television news channel launches next week
LONDON — BBC Arabic television — the BBC's news and information channel in the Arabic language — launches on Tuesday 11 March 2008 at 10.00 GMT, it was announced this week. Initially broadcast for 12 hours a day, the television channel is part of the BBC's integrated multimedia news service for the Arab world. It will move to 24/7 in...HOOKED ON HOOKAH: Latest Trend Hurting Youth
DEARBORN — Three Metro Detroit elected officials are introducing bills that create a public awareness campaign about the dangers of smoking hookah or the water pipe. State Representative Gino H. Polidori (D-Dearborn), State Senator Irma Clark-Coleman (D-Detroit) and State Senator Buzz Thomas (D-Detroit) are the bill sponsors....U of M to host conference on Shiism and Musa al-Sadr
ANN ARBOR — The Center for Middle Eastern & North African Studies (CMENAS) at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor will host a two-day conference on "The Shi'a, Modernity, and the Legacy of Musa al-Sadr," Friday and Saturday, March 14-15. From the activities of Hizbullah in southern Lebanon to the Sadr militias in Baghdad...Michigan ranked one of best-managed states
LANSING — Governor Jennifer M. Granholm this week expressed appreciation to the Pew Center on the States and "Governing" magazine for recognizing Michigan as an outstanding leader in the Government Performance Project (GPP) report entitled, "Grading the States 2008." Granholm is one of just two governors who participated in the......
Local demonstrations protest Israeli atrocities in Gaza
After holding several meetings over the last week to find a way to respond to ongoing violence and humanitarian crises in the Gaza Strip, peace and human rights activists staged two large demonstrations in Dearborn and Detroit on Tuesday and Thursday. Israeli air strikes and ground incursions over the past eight days have left...
U.S. conspired to cause civil war in Palestine
March 8th, 20080 Journalist David Rose outlines Iran-Contra-style plot in April issue of Vanity Fair United States officials including President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice participated in a conspiracy to arm and train Contra-style Palestinian militias nominally loyal to the Fatah party to overthrow the......
New Wal-Mart caters to Arabs
March 8th, 20080 Arabic-speaking employees, ethnic food and products highlight innovative store; local businesses concerned DEARBORN — Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, has opened an innovative new supercenter here. The 200,000 square foot store will offer a special line of products geared toward the Arab American and American Muslim...Canada’s response to Israel’s actions in Gaza – biased, ignorant and ineffective
Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier issued a news release expressing his concern about the escalating violence in the Gaza Strip. It does nothing to help resolve the situation and only demonstrates that the Canadian government is only putting out more face-saving rhetoric for the international community and to......