When Jews and Muslims stand United
Embrace moderate Muslim leaders Ynet News: The delegates to the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations deserve our united applause for travelling to Paris last week to express […]
Saudi Arabia: Unlicensed news websites to be blocked
JEDDAH: ARAB NEWS Saturday 23 February 2013 The Ministry of Culture and Information will block 1,400 unlicensed news websites, according to the ministry’s Assistant Undersecretary for Internal Media, Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Aqeel. Speaking at a symposium on the future of new media held by the commerce chamber in Al-Kharj, Al-Aqeel said […]
The Islamic Urbanist Tradition Is in Danger of Going Extinct
by SARAH GOODYEAR Imran Aukhil describes himself as “a Muslim and a committed urbanist.” Those things, he says, should be complementary rather than contradictory. And yet Aukhil, who tweets as […]
The Character of Syria’s Upheavals
by Majid RafizadehFulbright teaching scholar, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars HUFFINGTON POST The upheavals in Syria have generally been interpreted from a culturalist or structuralist perspective. Some attribute the emergence of the democratic uprisings to historic long-term tensions between different ethnic groups which include Alaawite, Syrian Turkmen, Armenians, Druze, […]
Thousands of Syrians find jobs in ‘abandoned sectors’ in Jordan
ZARQA — “Syria will never be the same as it was before the revolution.” Those were the words of Syrian refugee Abdullah Mzayyek, who fled the violence in his country […]
“The invention of the Jewish people”
The Middle East Monitor: The Invention of the Jewish People was a book written by Shlomo Sand, an Israeli professor of history at the University of Tel Aviv…… Sand argues […]
Saudi Arabia king swears in first women on Shura Council
BBC: Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah has sworn in 30 women to the previously all-male Shura Council, seen by many as a major step in female participation in public life in […]
Desolation gains a foothold in Bkirki (among Lebanese Christians)
STORY SUMMARY By Michael Young The Daily Star Put aside for a moment that Christian approval of the Orthodox plan Tuesday seemed a natural misstep for a community bathed in self-doubt about its own future, as Christian numbers have declined. The reality is that the largest Christian community, the Maronites, […]
Tolerance, cooperation cornerstones in interfaith dialogue — King of Jordan
AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday underlined the need to promote tolerance and cooperation as basis for dialogue and understanding among all followers of the three monotheistic religions. […]
Saudi Arabia: US secretary of state arriving for key talks
RIYADH : ABDUL HANNAN TAGO ARABNEWS Thursday 21 February 2013 US Secretary of State John Kerry will visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the first week of March as […]
Students seek to alter stereotypes about Islam in interfaith discussions
by Muath Freij | Feb 19, 2013 | 22:09 AMMAN — Students from over 10 schools across the country on Tuesday reflected on their experience in exchanging views with their […]
Turkey defies allies to pursue energy ties with Iraqi Kurds
Fulya Ozerkan ARABNEWS Wednesday 20 February 2013 Turkey is defying Washington and Baghdad in developing a broad energy partnership with Iraqi Kurds as it pushes to secure affordable oil and […]
Jordan’s new political experiment
Osama Al Sharif ARABNEWS Wednesday 20 February 2013 For the first time in Jordan’s modern political history, a new process of selecting the kingdom’s next prime minister was launched this week amid confusion and speculation about the nature of the new “mechanism.” King Abdallah has asked his Chief of the […]
PAKISTAN: Sectarian killings — the nexus between Saudi Arabia and the army of Pakistan is now being openly discussed
AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission strongly protests the murders of members of the Hazaras Shia community. A series of bombings in Hazaras town, Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, claimed many lives, all of them members of the Shia Community. This recent blast on February 17 is the second […]
EU will not lift Syria arms embargo, but offers rebels more aid
BRUSSELS — European Union foreign ministers on Monday stopped short of meeting Britain’s demand to lift an arms embargo on Syria but agreed to allow “non-lethal” aid and “technical assistance” […]
King Abdullah pays blood money for Indian convict
JEDDAH: IRFAN MOHAMMED Monday 18 February 2013 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has paid blood money on behalf of an Indian driver convicted of killing nine people […]
Seeking Palestine: New Palestinian Writing on Exile and Home
Edited by Penny Johnson and Raja Shehadeh US: Olive Branch Press/Interlink Publishing Pp. 202 It is significant that this book is entitled “Seeking Palestine”, not “Remembering Palestine”, for there is little nostalgia here. Instead, fourteen talented Palestinian writers explore the meaning of exile, belonging and identity, focusing on the present. […]
US aid to Jordan at stake due to budget cuts
AMMAN – Automatic spending cuts set to go into effect in the US early next month may affect Washington’s military and humanitarian assistance to Jordan. As across-the-board cuts in US government spending, set to begin on March 1, would reduce the budget for the State Department and the US Agency […]
Wisdom: A Fresh Look at Islam
onislam: Faysal Burhan. The Prophet’s instructions to Mu’adh ibn Jabal as he was leaving to Yemen for da’wah was: “Be positive and full of courage; be not negative and full […]
Syria: The Growing Power Of Jihadist Groups
Sky’s Stuart Ramsay meets an increasingly influential group which says jihad is spreading and will not stop at Syria. By Stuart Ramsay, Chief Correspondent The number of Jihadist groups flooding […]