Biden administration must fix reentry harassment of Muslims
October 11th, 20230 Harassment of American Muslims while flying has been a persistent problem since the expansion of the national security apparatus post 9/11. Racial and religious profiling by federal agents at airports to citizens being placed on watchlists without any means of due process are ongoing civil rights challenges for our community. Despite Mr....
The Gaza war is lost: But will Netanyahu concede?
October 11th, 20232 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had often boasted about the readiness of his army to deal with, and to eliminate all threats to Israel's “security.” The Israeli military, too, has contributed to the Israeli hasbara that Tel Aviv would be able to face several threats at all fronts, from Gaza, to the West Bank, to Lebanon...
Ghosts of the past: For Israel, war on UNESCO is an existential battle
September 28th, 20230 Jericho does not belong to the Palestinians alone. It belongs to the whole of humanity. For Israel, however, the recognition by UNESCO of Jericho as a “World Heritage Site in Palestine” complicates its mission of erasing Palestine, physically and figuratively, from existence. The decision was described by Israel’s foreign...
“Greatest nation” debates aren’t helpful
September 27th, 20230 Is the United States the greatest nation in the world? It’s a natural question to ask, given our penchant for displays of patriotism and our debates about American exceptionalism. But I don’t much like the question. Talking about how American greatness isn’t a very helpful exercise. It doesn’t do anything to make our country...
Humiliation vs. self-respect: The untold story of the abuse of Palestinian women in Hebron
September 13th, 20230 The humiliation of Palestinian women by Israeli soldiers in the occupied city of Al-Khalil (Hebron) on July 10 was not the first such episode. Sadly, it will not be the last. Indeed, the stripping of five women in front of their children, parading them naked around their family home and then stealing their jewelry by an Israeli...
39 years of milestone accomplishments, and the best is yet to come
September 8th, 20230 On September 7, 1984 I opened the door to The Arab American News offices on Michigan Ave in Dearborn. The rest is history. It has been 39 years and a fantastic journey. I’m very proud of what we have achieved here, joined and supported by hundreds of professionals who dedicated their times and efforts to make a...
When the torturer is the “savior”: Can BRICS, Global South help us escape the West’s hegemony, contradictions?
September 8th, 20230 By Ramzy Baroud and Romana Rubeo At the zenith of the mass protests in Egypt on January 25, 2011, Twitter, Facebook and other Western-based social media platforms appeared to be the most essential tools for the Egyptian Revolution. Though some observers later contested the use of the terms "Twitter Revolution" or "Social Media...
Friend or foe? Russia’s West Jerusalem consulate is very worrying
August 23rd, 20230 Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, a global cold war has also kicked in. As a strong ally of Washington and the home of a massive constituency of Russian, Ukrainian and East European Jews, it was only natural that Tel Aviv would be at the heart of the global conflict. When the war began, Israel was then ruled by an odd...
Opinion: Faith in democracy is vital
August 18th, 20230 Americans are pessimistic about our democracy, according to a recent poll. It’s a worrisome finding. Of course, it’s easy to watch the news and conclude our government isn’t working. But we must not get to the point where we think we can’t solve our problems in a democratic fashion. That’s a danger line. The poll, by The...
Palestinians welcome China’s new Middle East role, but it is not mediation they need
August 16th, 20230 It is feasible for China to continue playing an important role in mediating Middle East conflicts. In fact, it already has. In the case of the Israeli occupation of Palestine, however, mediation is hardly the issue. Even before Beijing successfully managed to achieve reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran last April, Chinese...
Opinion: The American Immigration Council and the economic impact of refugees in America
August 10th, 20230 By Tariq Fanek New research from the American Immigration Council on the impact of refugees on the U.S. economy suggests that opening America’s doors to those fleeing conflict and persecution is not only the right thing to do, it is good for the economy and our nation’s population and talent crises. The June 2023 report builds on a...
Balancing act is over: Israeli protests are not about democracy, but ideology
August 2nd, 20230 The late Israeli commentator Uri Avnery wrote, “I am increasingly worried that the Israeli-Palestinian struggle… is assuming a more and more religious character.” At first glance, the statement may seem baffling. If Israel is a “Jewish State” that serves as a “homeland” for all Jewish people, everywhere, does it not...
U.S. and Israel: Is the “unbreakable Bond” finally breaking?
July 26th, 20230 Israeli President Isaac Herzog added nothing of great value in his speech at the United States Congress on July 19. His was the typical language. He spoke of a “sacred bond”, touted the shared experience between both nations as “unique in scope and quality”, and celebrated the great, common “values that reach across...
For Arab Americans, blue is not blue
July 25th, 20230 News last week that the U.S. and Israel were about to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) advancing Israel’s entry into the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP) shouldn’t have caught us by surprise. But it did. For months, we had been assured by various Biden administration officials that Israel could not meet the requirements of the...
The war to save Mahmoud Abbas: Is Netanyahu pushing for Palestinian civil conflict?
July 19th, 20230 This is the perfect opportunity for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to exit the stage. But he will not. Abbas’ brief visit to the devastated Jenin refugee camp in the northern occupied West Bank on July 12 demonstrated the absurdity and danger of the PA and its 87-year-old leader. As he walked, Abbas struggled to......
Jenin is just the start: Did Palestinians finally bury the ghosts of the past?
July 13th, 20230 The deadly Israeli invasion of Jenin on July 3 was not a surprise. Also, unsurprising is the fact that the killing of 12 Palestinians, wounding of 120 more and the destruction of nearly 80 percent of the Jenin Refugee Camp’s homes and infrastructure will not make an iota of a difference. Even Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin...
Russian uprising caught everyone by surprise, remains a mystery
July 5th, 20230 Recent events in Russia have been surprising, even shocking. When the private army employed by Russia’s Wagner Group left Ukraine and moved toward Moscow last month, it caught everyone by surprise. We’re used to thinking of Russian leader Vladimir Putin as a dictator who has complete control of his country. Maybe he does, but the...
“We will not surrender”: The extraordinary Palestinians of Jenin
June 29th, 20230 By Ramzy Baroud On June 19, a large Israeli military force raided the northern Palestinian town and refugee camp of Jenin from multiple directions. Not only did the raid fail, it backfired, and it also created a precedent in Israel’s decades-long war on the ever-rebellious Palestinian region. Israel killed eight Palestinians and...
LARA and state fire marshal Urge Michiganders to be fire safe this Independence Day
June 29th, 20230 State Fire Marshal Kevin Sehlmeyer is urging Michiganders to use caution when handling fireworks as the Fourth of July holiday approaches. “We anticipate many people will purchase consumer fireworks over the Fourth of July holiday weekend,” Sehlmeyer said. “All Michiganders should consider the dry conditions when setting off......
Building trust when cultural differences and society biases impact healthcare for minority groups
June 16th, 20230 By Linda Perkins Health disparities continue to disproportionately affect minority populations despite improvements in overall health for most Americans. In Michigan, minority groups have a higher rate of chronic disease than average, so improving healthcare for these groups is critical. Unfortunately, cultural differences and...
Celebrating Mike Mosallam: A Dearborn native and proud Arab American wins a Tony Award
June 16th, 20230 By Rashid Baydoun DEARBORN — In a moment of triumph for the local community, Mike Mosallam, a native of Dearborn and a proud Arab American, has clinched a prestigious Tony Award, solidifying his place as an influential figure in the performing arts. Mosallam’s win, a result of his co-producing efforts in the acclaimed musical......
Prophets of doom: Kissinger and the “intellectual” decline of the West
June 9th, 20230 It is unclear why 100-year-old Henry Kissinger has been elevated by Western intelligentsia to serve the role of the visionary in how the West should behave in response to the Russia-Ukraine war. But does the centenarian politician have the answers? Every major global conflict that involved the U.S. and its NATO allies in the past had...
A man without a strategy: How Netanyahu is provoking armed Intifada in the West Bank
June 9th, 20230 After signing a military decree on May 18, allowing illegal Israeli Jewish settlers to reclaim the abandoned Homesh settlement located in the northern Occupied West Bank, the Israeli government has informed the U.S. Biden administration that it will not turn the area into a new settlement. The latter revelation was reported by Axios on......
