The ‘Palestinian Chair’: Exposing Israel’s direct role in U.S. violence
June 20th, 20200 Exposing Israel The banning of deadly police practices by many American states and cities following the murder of an African American man, George Floyd, at the hands of Minneapolis police officers is, once more, shedding light on U.S.-Israeli collaboration in the fields of security and crowd control. From California to New York, and...
Lebanon adviser in IMF talks quits, citing ‘no genuine will’ for reforms
June 19th, 20200 BEIRUT — A financial adviser working with Lebanon’s government in talks with the International Monetary Fund said on Thursday that he had resigned, citing “no genuine will” to reform and attempts to dismiss the size of losses in the financial system. Lebanon began IMF talks in May, aiming to secure aid to steer its way out of...
‘Wolf warrior diplomacy’: Israel’s China strategy in peril
June 6th, 20200 Israel’s balancing act that allowed it to reap America’s unconditional and, often, blind support, while slowly benefiting from China’s growing economic influence and political prestige, is already floundering. Thanks to the heated cold war between the U.S. and Chinese economic superpowers, the Israeli strategy of playing both...
Lebanese singer depicts herself as a Black woman, draws outrage
June 4th, 20200 BEIRUT — Earlier in the week, Tania Saleh, a Lebanese singer and visual artist based out of Beirut, decided to show her support for international protests by photoshopping her face on that of another, presumably Black woman’s, face and posting it on her social media accounts. The image, which may have been well-intentioned, was...
Netanyahu appears in court, becoming first ever Israeli prime minister to be put on trial
May 24th, 20200 JERUSALEM — Benjamin Netanyahu appeared in court on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust Sunday, becoming the first Israeli prime minister ever to go on trial. The trial came just a week after Netanyahu was sworn in for a record fifth term, after he secured an unexpected power-sharing deal with his main opponent, Benny...
Father of Lebanese woman shot dead in the streets of the U.K. pays tribute in wake of her death
May 23rd, 20200 UNITED KINGDOM — The father of a Lebanese woman who was shot dead in the streets of Blackburn in Lancashire County in the United Kingdom paid tribute to her on Thursday, saying he hoped his family would be safe in the U.K. after they fled Lebanon. Law student Aya Hachem, 19, was shot from a passing car in a case of mistaken...
My Beit Daras, my Nakba: Two Palestinian intellectuals reminisce about their destroyed village
May 15th, 20200 Dr. Ghada Ageel and Dr. Ramzy Baroud have more in common than their scholarly research on Palestinian history and politics. They are both refugees and the direct descendants of Palestinian refugees who were expelled from their historic village of Beit Daras at gunpoint during the catastrophic events that led to the Palestinian Nakba of...
U.S. sends $225 million in emergency food aid to Yemen as famine-stricken country reports first COVID-19 related deaths
May 6th, 20200 WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States will send $225 million in emergency aid to Yemen to support food programs, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday, according to Reuters. Aid groups have been forced to scale down operations in the country, which has been rocked by food insecurity and war in recent years, because of the...
A Machiavellian fiasco: How ‘centrist’ Gantz resurrected Netanyahu, Israel’s right
April 22nd, 20200 It was intended to be a Machiavellian move, but the decision by Benny Gantz, leader of Israel’s Kahol Lavan (Blue and White) coalition, to join a Benjamin Netanyahu-led government is likely to destabilize the political fabric of Israeli society for years to come. In a surprising move, Gantz has entered into precarious political...
Spreading the virus of occupation: Spitting as a weapon in the hand of colonial Israel
April 15th, 20200 Spitting at someone is a universal insult. In Israel, however, spitting at Palestinians is an entirely different story. Now that we know the deadly coronavirus can be transmitted through saliva droplets, Israeli soldiers and illegal Jewish settlers are working extra hard to spit at as many Palestinians, their cars, doorknobs and so...
Lebanese American Amer Fakhoury, accused of overseeing torture in south Lebanon, released from Beirut prison
March 20th, 20200 WASHINGTON/BEIRUT — Lebanese American Amer Fakhoury, who was detained in Lebanon in September, has been released and is on his way back to the U.S., President Trump said on Thursday. Fakhoury, a 57-year-old New Hampshire resident, was accused of overseeing the torture of Lebanese prisoners at a prison in south Lebanon in the 1980s...
World Health Organization now officially recommends to avoid taking ibuprofen for coronavirus symptoms
March 18th, 20200 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND — The World Health Organization has announced that people suffering from COVID-19 symptoms should avoid taking ibuprofen, as French officials warned that anti-inflammatory drugs could worsen effects of the virus. The warning came after a recent study in The Lancet medical journal hypothesizing that an enzyme...
‘Zionist’ Biden in his own words: ‘My name is Joe Biden, and everybody knows I love Israel’
March 18th, 20204 "I am a Zionist. You don't have to be a Jew to be a Zionist," current Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden, said in April 2007, soon before he was chosen to be Barack Obama’s running mate in the 2008 elections. Biden is, of course, correct, because Zionism is a political movement that is rooted in 20th century nationalism...
Former housekeeper sues Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife for abusive behavior
February 29th, 20200 TEL AVIV — A former housekeeper for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's official residence is suing his wife, Sara, for pain and suffering allegedly caused during her employment there, the housekeeper's attorney said on Thursday. The attorney, Opheer Shimson, said his client is demanding $190,000 in damages for abuse...
‘The Donald Trump I know’: Abbas’ U.N. speech and the breakdown of Palestinian politics
February 25th, 20200 A precious moment has been squandered, as Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas had the chance to right a historical wrong by reinstating Palestinian national priorities at the United Nations Security Council on February 11, through a political discourse that is completely independent from Washington and its allies. For a long......
Netanyahu’s political campaign in trouble as corruption trial looms
February 21st, 20200 TEL AVIV — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will spend the last days of his election campaign under the shadow of serious and damaging corruption charges, as Israeli courts announced Tuesday that his criminal trial will begin March 17. Netanyahu is expected to attend the initial hearing just two weeks after the March 2...
Senate rebukes Trump, votes to limit Iran war making ability
February 20th, 20200 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate passed legislation on Thursday to limit President Trump’s ability to wage war against Iran, rebuking him weeks after a strike against an Iranian military commander and Tehran’s retaliation raised fears of broader regional conflict. Eight of Trump’s fellow Republicans joined Democrats to pass...
Major League Baseball pulls advertising for Roger Waters’ concerts over support for BDS movement
February 11th, 20203 NEW YORK, NY — Major League Baseball will not schedule any more advertising on its various platforms for former Pink Floyd bassist and popular solo artist Roger Waters because of his ongoing support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, a report from Billboard said. The action came after a letter was sent on...
The EU rejects Trump’s Middle East peace plan, Israeli annexation
February 7th, 20200 BRUSSELS – The European Union rejected parts of President Trump’s peace plan for the Middle East on Tuesday, prompting an angry response from Israel, which has strongly backed the U.S. proposal. The plan, announced by Trump last week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his side, was rejected outright by the......
At least two Palestinians killed, 16 Israelis hurt in violence over Trump plan
February 7th, 20200 RAMALLAH, West Bank – At least two Palestinians were killed in the occupied West Bank and 16 Israelis were hurt on Thursday in a surge of violence that erupted amid Palestinian anger at a U.S. peace plan. In Jerusalem, an Arab citizen of Israel was killed after he shot and slightly wounded an Israeli paramilitary border policeman at...
Crisis and opportunity: The ‘Deal of the Century’ challenge for Palestinians
February 5th, 20200 After several postponements, President Trump has finally revealed the details of his Middle East plan, dubbed “Deal of the Century”, in a press conference in Washington on January 28. Standing triumphantly beside Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must have surely understood that the timing of the announcement, only......
Metro Detroit Chaldeans make history with first museum in the world to preserve their heritage
January 26th, 20200 WEST BLOOMFIELD — While the Metro Detroit area is known nationally for its large Arab American population and its rich history, the region also is home to more than 160,000 Chaldeans according to the Chaldean Community Foundation. Chaldeans are an ethnic group from Iraq that traces their roots back more than 5,000 years to ancient...
Trump to release Mid East peace plan next week after meeting with both Netanyahu and Gantz
January 24th, 20200 WASHINGTON, D.C. — The White House said in a statement on Thursday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit the White House next Tuesday to meet with President Trump about Trump’s long-awaited Middle East peace plan. Trump confirmed the news, telling reporters on Air Force One that he will release the details of the......
