Author Archives: Arab America

by Ramzy Baroud INTERNATIONAL POLICY DIGEST As I was finalizing my research for this article, I found myself browsing through a heap of hilarious videos by mostly Egyptian TV show hosts Tawfiq Okasha and Amr Adeeb. In one of his numerous videos on youtube, Okasha, the star and host of the Cairo-based privately funded al-Faraeen … Continued

Mark Engler, Paul Engler and Foreign Policy In Focus The Nation On November 9, 1989—twenty-five years ago—huge crowds of East Germans descended on the Berlin Wall. The restless citizens were responding to an announcement by authorities suggesting that the government would loosen travel restrictions. In truth, those in charge intended to make only limited alterations … Continued

The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs The American Red Cross held an event in Washington, DC on Nov. 6 to discuss sexual violence in conflict zones. Titled “A Time To Act,” the panel featured a wide range of experts who explored causes and possible solutions to the growing problem of sexual violence as a … Continued

By Rory Jones YaLibnan An Egyptian Internet startup that offers an online alternative to paid newspaper obituaries is part of an emerging pan-Arab tech renaissance with incubators and startup funding spanning Cairo to Beirut and Abu Dhabi. Cairo-based ElWafeyat.com, the name roughly translates from Arabic as “deaths,” is creating a social-network like website with pages, … Continued

Joseph Raya was born in Zahle, Lebanon, on August 15th, 1916, the sixth of seven children in a family of devout Christian Arabs. As a result of his formal education, he quickly attained fluency in Arabic, French, and Greek. Educated in Zahle, Paris, and Jerusalem, he was exposed to a variety of formative experiences and … Continued

Israel said late Wednesday that it would deny entry to representatives of the U.N. Human Rights Council who are investigating potential war crimes committed during the summer’s 50-day war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. While widely expected, the decision was likely to trigger fresh international criticism of Israel. The government of Prime … Continued

São Paulo – From religion to cuisine, including architecture. According to the artist Ronaldo Auad, these are the primary influences of Lebanese culture in Brazil’s Minas Gerais state. A descendant of Lebanese grandparents, born and raised in the Minas heartland, Auad has converted his impressions and family memories into the exhibition Minas-Líbano: Nágila e outras … Continued

WARREN, Mich. — On the road fleeing their hometown in Iraq, the Ilotte family was packed tight in a black sedan as ISIL forces advanced behind them. “They’re going to kill us, they’re going to get us,” 4-year-old Frans Ilotte cried in the backseat. “No, we’ll protect you. It’s OK,” the boy’s parents assured him. … Continued