Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, The

'Price Tag' or Pogrom? West Bank Settlers Now Running Amok in Israel As Well

[...] they can claim that the Arabs are trying to drive the Jews into the sea, and that no political solution is possible. Since Israel's disengagement from Gaza in 2005, disillusionment has grown among the extremist settlers, many of whom are convinced that they must intensify their struggle to stop further concessions in the peace process.

'Tennis in Nablus' Revives the Arab Revolt

According to director Laura Margolis, Ismail calls his play a 'tragipoliticomedy.' [...] Tariq's real estate deal goes up in smoke, but before he escapes to Beirut, he gives his Aunt Anbara keys to the family house.

28 Years: One Palestinian Prisoner's Story

Al-Kayyali has been in prison since before the first intifada broke out; before the massacre perpetrated by Barnard Goldstein on a Hebron mosque, killing dozens and wounding hundreds of worshippers, and opening the door to retaliatory bombings; since well before Oslo, before the 2000 Camp David summit, before Sept. 11, 2001, before hundreds of checkpoints made travel nearly impossible, and before a single concrete slab of Israel's wall was pounded into the earth, tearing apart entire Palestin...

Afghanistan: Ten Years of Aimless War

The renowned military strategist Maj. Gen. J.F.C. Fuller defined war's true objective as achieving desired political results, not killing enemies. Washington's goal was a favorable political settlement producing a pacified Afghan state run by a regime totally responsive to U.S. political, economic and strategic interests; a native sepoy army led by white officers; and U.S. bases that threaten Iran, watch China, and control the energy-rich Caspian Basin. The stumbling, confused U.S. war in A...

Anera's Supporters Deliver

Guests contributed more than $400,000 to help ANERA continue to deliver medicines, health care supplies, school books, educational materials and playground equipment to Palestinian camps and communities in the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon and Jordan.

Cair's Annual Fundraiser a Huge Success

"Americans have the best Constitution in the world," the imam opined, and CAIR is fighting legal battles to protect it for the next group of Americans who are targeted by bigotry. "Since people are people, some bad people can change it," he warned listeners.

Canadian War-Crimes Profiteering

[...] Canadian economic policy also enables Canadian companies not directly implicated in the military-industrial complex to profit from and/or support the occupation industry. [...] its sole purpose is to provide financial support to mercenaries [foreign-born Jews] who wish to settle in Israel after serving in occupied Palestine.

Chamy's 'of Refuge, of Home' Explores Family Myth and History

Chamy's collection of family portraits and installation works explore the stories of his Palestinian-Texan family with deep roots in the American frontier south as well as a deep love for a distant homeland suffering colonization and catastrophe.

Comedian Discusses U.S. Islamophobia, Comedy in Arab World

The award-winning comedian, who has appeared on television's Comedy Central and CNN networks, explained how he uses comedy to spread peace and freedom in both the U.S. and the Arab world. Despite the fact that he spoke with a distinct New Jersey accent and lived a typical American lifestyle, Obeidallah's Arab heritage suddenly became his distinctive feature in a hypersensitive post-9/11 America.

Congress Echoes Israel's Near Hysteria Over Palestinians' U.N. Bid

On Sept. 8, Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL) joined by 42 of his Republican colleagues, introduced H.Res. 394 "supporting Israel's right to annex Judea and Samaria in the event that the Palestinian Authority continues to press for unilateral recognition" of statehood at the U.N. And on Sept. 12 Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY), with three co-sponsors, introduced H.R. 2893 "to prohibit Foreign Military Financing program assistance to countries that vote in the U.N. General Assembly (UNGA) in favor of recognizing...

Csu Middle East Studies Confab at Cal Poly Pomona

The Harvard University-educated scholar pointed out Israel's distortions of international humanitarian law (IHL) in which it uses violence to enforce new concepts of IHL (which governs behaviors of parties at war).

D.C. Rally Calls for End to U.S. Aid to Israel

Arguing that U.S. aid to Israel funds human rights abuses and supports an illegal occupation, those gathered at the White House urged Washington to reconsider its current monetary support of Israel.

Diana Buttu Addresses Palestine Children's Relief Fund 'Healing Hands' Benefit

Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas has never prosecuted students who interrupted classes or destroyed UCI property during other protests, but, mindful of the political power of affluent Zionists, did press charges against the Muslim students. According to Syeda, who is communications manager of CAIR/LA, there are an estimated 7 to 10 million Muslims in the U.S. She described 9/11 as a double tragedy for the Muslim community, which mourned the loss of 3,000 Americans in the terro...

Dr. Saree Makdisi Delivers Palestine Center's 2011 Edward Said Lecture

According to Makdisi, who is Said's nephew, while competing ideologies do exist, the balance has shifted in recent years because it requires "massive institutional organization and funding" to maintain the Israeli narrative, whereas the Palestinian narrative has an unshakable basis in international law.

Gaza Kids' Art Show a Smashing Success Despite Museum's Attempt at Censorship

The long-planned opening reception for the exhibit of Palestinian children's artwork organized by the Berkeley-based Middle East Children's Alliance (MECA) took place Sept. 24 in the courtyard of Oakland's Museum of Children's Art (MOCHA), rather than inside, as originally intended when the project was launched months ago. The letter further stated: MOCHA has always been a place where all subjects are open to artistic expression...As past artwork has included many examples of the violence in...

Go Palestine: An Extraordinary Summer Camp Behind the Wall

The Ramallah activities included playing sports, going to movies, visiting local businesses, learning traditional arts, and engaging in spirited discussions about culture and politics. Besides visiting such large and familiar cities as Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Hebron and Haifa, we also got a chance to go to places tourists usually don't have the opportunity to visit on their own.

Hezbollah in the Wake of the Arab Uprisings

According to the MEI scholar, this recent regional shift toward domestic politics is increasingly making Hezbollah appear "out-of-sync with the passions and interests of the Arab public."

How Plausible Is the Alleged Iranian 'Terror Plot'?

Three Bloomberg reporters, citing a "federal law enforcement official," wrote that Arbabsiar told the DEA informant he represented Iranians who "controlled drug smuggling and could provide tons of opium." Because of opium entering Iran from Afghanistan, Iranian authorities hold 85 percent of the world's opium seizures, according to Iran's Fars News Agency.

Inside the Mideast Prisoner Swap

[...] Hamas has said repeatedly-including in a New York Times interview with its leader Khaled Meshal-that the movement is willing to accept a Palestinian state in only the West Bank and Gaza Strip, provided all Israeli settlements are removed and the rights of Palestinian refugees are respected. For this reason in 2005, Palestinian civil society, independently of all political factions, issued its unified call to supporters around the world for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) on Isr...

Israeli Rejectionism: A Hidden Agenda in the Middle East Peace Process

According to Amit and Levit the treaty with Egypt, which was imposed on Israel, taught Israeli elites that maintaining a state of hostility with its neighbors was preferable to territorial concessions and compromise regarding refugees.

Jim Moran Headlines Cair's Annual Fund-Raiser

Congressman Moran began his speech on Muslim-American civil rights by wishing Muslims throughout the United States a blessed Eid Al-Adha celebration. Saying that Muslim Americans should play a major role in the future of U.S.-Arab relations, especially after the recent events of the Arab Spring, Congressman Moran concluded his inspiring remarks by saying that "The United States of America will become the nation it's meant to be, the true beacon of hope for all mankind, if you make it so." -

Letters to the Editor

Remember, in February, Ambassador Rice vetoed a draft resolution condemning Israeli settlements on Palestinian territory while all other 14 members of the Security Council unanimously voted in favor of the resolution, making the U.S. seem disturbingly out of touch with events on the ground, and horribly disinterested in the desperate plight of the Palestinian people. Because of the massacre in Gaza (aka Operation Cast Lead) I refocused my life on calling for, and working toward, a sane appro...

Longtime Journalist Describes Iranians As Most Pro-American People in Middle East

[...] the Obama administration demanded that Israel freeze settlement construction as a precondition to negotiations, something the Palestinians had never done. According to De Soto, a rule of diplomacy is that when a problem seems intractable, change the context. Nor does he think it likely that settlers will agree either to be evacuated or to become citizens of a Palestinian state. [...] Bishara sees no way out any time soon.

Mideast Universities Face Challenge of Unemployed Graduates

According to Dr. Jabbra, the top three American institutions are meeting that challenge, and their graduates are getting jobs and going on to "make an impact on the education question."

Neocons Blame Obama for Iraq Disaster

Upbraiding Romney On the campaign trail, Romney briefly deviated from the prescribed neocon path-with comments that U.S. troops in Afghanistan should be withdrawn "as soon as we possibly can" and that the war showed Americans "cannot fight another nation's war of independence."

Obama's Speech to the U.N.: In Distorting the Facts He Revealed the Truth

Successive administrations since 1991 have sent billions of dollars in aid to Israel every year, and vetoed every U.N. Security Council resolution calling on Israel to abide by international law, while at the same time claiming to be an even-handed peacemaker. [...] it is the Palestinians who are in desperate need of protection.\nS. would be seen as endorsing an Israeli attack.

Obituaries

On Oct. 6, 200 State Department employees gathered to pay their respects, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Deputy Secretary Bill Burns and others from the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs (NEA).

Omar Ibn Sayyid: From Islamic Scholar to Slave and Back Again

While in captivity he wrote pages of the Qur'an from memory, fasted during Ramadan and taught curious North Carolinians, including his new kinder master James Owenabout Islam.

Other People's Mail

Name that state and show that Mr. Awlaki served in armed forces, and you have a case for denying him a trial. [...] he's a murder victim.

Panel Explores Egypt's Changing Religious Climate

Explaining that "mini-revolutions" are occurring within such institutions as the press, labor unions, and religious organizations, Brown stressed that the outcomes of these institutional conflicts will significantly impact Egypt's future. Addressing the "chaotic political atmosphere in the country," Elgindy noted that the division of Egyptian society into hundreds of political groups has made it difficult to monitor the country's political climate.