Businessman Mikati secures votes to be designated Lebanon’s PM
July 26th, 20210 BEIRUT — Wealthy Lebanese businessman Najib Mikati secured enough votes in parliamentary consultations on Monday to be designated the next prime minister. Mikati, who has been prime minister twice before and unlike many Lebanese leaders does not hail from a political bloc or dynasty, received 72 votes out of a total of 118 members...
Lebanon: The accusations against Major General Abbas Ibrahim are malicious and politically motivated
July 25th, 20210 By Osama Siblani / Publisher One of the most unfortunate aspects of Lebanon’s continuing crisis is the way criminal investigations into major violent acts are handled. This has been the case since Lebanon was founded last century. Most of these investigations either did not occur at all, were done unprofessionally or were derailed by...
Lebanon spins further into crisis as Hariri abandons bid to form government
July 15th, 20210 BEIRUT — Lebanese politician Saad al-Hariri abandoned his months-long effort to form a new government on Thursday, dimming the chances of a cabinet being agreed on any time soon that could start rescuing the country from financial meltdown. Hariri announced his decision after meeting with President Michel Aoun, saying it was clear...
Family separation Law: Israel’s demographic war on Palestine intensifies
July 15th, 20210 When the Israeli Knesset (parliament) failed to renew what is commonly referred to as the Family Reunification Law, news reports and analyses misrepresented the story altogether. The even split of 59 MKs voting in favor of the law and 59 against it gave the erroneous impression that Israeli lawmakers are equally divided over the right of...
EU to adopt sanctions regime for Lebanon leaders, France says
July 12th, 20210 PARIS — On Monday, the European Union agreed to adopt a sanctions regime for Lebanese leaders by the end of July, France said, in an effort to force a stable government to emerge from nearly a year of political chaos following the Beirut blast. "There was a moment ago a political consensus to put in place a legal sanctions framework...
The people vs. Mahmoud Abbas: Are the Palestinian Authority’s days numbered?
July 8th, 20210 “The Palestinian Authority’s days are numbered.” This assertion has been oft repeated recently, especially after the torture to death on June 24 of a popular Palestinian activist, Nizar Banat, 42, at the hands of PA security goons in Hebron (Al-Khalil). The killing — or “assassination” as some Palestinian rights groups...
Lebanon is “days away” from social explosion, PM Diab warns
July 6th, 20210 BEIRUT — Lebanon is a few days away from a social explosion, caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab warned on Tuesday, calling on the international community to save a country in deep economic crisis. The World Bank has called Lebanon's crisis one of the worst depressions of modern history. The currency has lost more than 90 percent...
Yale student council approves statement on ethnic cleansing in Palestine
July 2nd, 20210 CONNECTICUT — The Yale College Council (YCC) voted to endorse a statement condemning “the injustice, genocide and ethnic cleansing occurring in Palestine” on Sunday, June 27. The statement was introduced in May by Yalies 4 Palestine, a student-led campaign to raise Palestinian voices and end the culture of silence around...
Farewell to Donald Rumsfeld, dreary war criminal
July 2nd, 20210 At 2:40 p.m. on September 11, 2001, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld issued orders to one of his underlings. Among Rumsfeld’s thoughts: Best info fast. Good enough judge whether good enough hit SH @ same time not only UBL And: Near term target needs – – go massive – sweep it all up – Things related &...
The Palestine Chronology: A new online database
June 30th, 20210 WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Institute for Palestine Studies has launched a new online database documenting political and military events surrounding the Israeli occupation of Palestine since 1982. The Palestine Chronology will allow researchers, readers, journalists, students, scholars and activists to easily access day-by-day summaries...
U.S. suspects 4,000 cases of fraud in Iraqi refugee program
June 25th, 20210 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. authorities pursuing a sweeping fraud investigation suspect some 4,000 Iraqis of filing fraudulent applications for resettlement in the U.S. as refugees, and they are re-examining cases involving more than 104,000 others, according to State Department reports reviewed by Reuters. More than 500 Iraqis already...
U of M fellowship honors cystic fibrosis researcher Dr. Samya Nasr
June 23rd, 20210 ANN ARBOR — A University of Michigan pediatrics professor’s work in cystic fibrosis (CF) is being honored with a fellowship program. The Bonnell Foundation: Living with Cystic Fibrosis is raising money to support the Pediatric Pulmonology Fellowship Training Program at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, to honor Dr. Samya Nasr and...
Iran accuses U.S. of meddling for criticising election
June 22nd, 20210 TEHRAN — Iran accused the U.S. on Tuesday of interference for saying its election was neither free nor fair as political factions traded blame for the record low turnout and high number of invalid ballots. Ebrahim Raisi, a hardline judge who is under U.S. sanctions, secured victory as expected on Saturday in an election marked by...
On “conflict”, “peace” and “genocide”: Time for new language on Palestine and Israel
June 20th, 20211 On May 25, famous American actor Mark Ruffalo tweeted an apology for suggesting that Israel is committing “genocide” in Gaza. “I have reflected and wanted to apologize for posts during the recent Israel/Hamas fighting that suggested Israel is committing ‘genocide,’” Ruffalo wrote, adding, “It’s not accurate, it’s...
Palestinian American from Ohio imprisoned by Israeli court for activism
June 18th, 20210 YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – A 75-year-old Palestinian American from Ohio has been imprisoned by Israeli authorities for activism. Jamal Nisser, a retired Palestinian American businessman from Youngstown, Ohio, has been sentenced to four months in prison by an Israeli court on charges of political activism, The Palestine Chronicle......
ADC: Workplace discrimination against pro-Palestinian voices on the rise
June 16th, 20210 WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) is looking for a federal hearing and investigation into rising incidents of workplace discrimination against employees who have expressed solidarity with Palestine and against Israeli apartheid and occupation. The ADC says it is responding to a surge of...
Head designer for Zara under fire for anti-Palestinian message to model
June 15th, 20210 Fast fashion giant Zara has come under fire after Palestinian model Qaher Harhash revealed messages sent from Vanessa Perilman, the brand’s head designer for women’s clothing, in response to his posts calling for justice in Palestine. "So your point is that you are trying to show the world that Israel is a horrible evil country......
On the politics of victory and defeat: How Gaza dethroned the king of Israel
June 12th, 20210 How did Benjamin Netanyahu manage to serve as Israel’s longest-serving prime minister? With a total of 15 years in office, Netanyahu surpassed the 12-year leadership of Israel's founding father, David Ben Gurion. The answer to this question will become particularly critical for future Israeli leaders who hope to emulate Netanyahu’s...
Detroit pizzeria Pie-Sci hosts Palestinian Youth Movement specialty pizza fundraiser
June 11th, 20210 DETROIT- Pie-Sci, a popular pizzeria near Wayne State University, has collaborated with Palestinian activists to create a delicious new pizza special for the week, the “Musak It To Me.” Pie-Sci also collaborated with renowned Detroit pastry chef Lena Sereini for the special. On Wednesday afternoon, Pie-Sci hosted a "Pizza and...
Omar clarifies remarks on Israel, U.S. war crimes, after Dem, GOP pushback
June 11th, 20210 WASHINGTON D.C. — U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) clarified earlier remarks regarding open investigations by the International Criminal Court (ICC) into war crimes committed by Israel, the U.S., Hamas and the Taliban, after backlash from both Democrats and Republicans. On Monday, Omar questioned U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken...
“Block the Boat-Detroit” protest held at ZIM shipping facility, BDS calls against Israeli company
June 10th, 20210 ROMULUS — A "Block the Boat-Detroit" protest was held by some 100 Palestinian rights activists outside the ZIM American Integrated Shipping Services, LLC office on Tuesday. Sahar Faraj, one of the main organizers with the Palestinian Youth Movement of Detroit, was joined by a line up of speakers from seven other organizations......
Netanyahu faces end of rule in parliamentary vote on new government
June 8th, 20210 ISRAEL — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces an end to his long hold on power in Israel on Sunday when the country's legislature votes on approving an improbable government of diverse parties that came together to unseat him. "It's happening!" opposition leader Yair Lapid of the centrist Yesh Atid party wrote on Twitter on...
Wayne State University president blocks student senate statement on Palestine
June 7th, 20210 DETROIT — A statement on Palestine issued by the Wayne State University Student Senate has seen objection and censorship from the large urban university’s administration, most notably by President Roy Wilson. The Senate, which is comprised of dozens of students, had gone through lengthy and intense deliberation on making a......
Detroit commemorates 54 Years since Al-Naksa
June 5th, 20210 DEARBORN - Organizers and community members will gather this Saturday, June 5th, at Ford Woods Park in Dearborn, to commemorate the 54th anniversary of Al-Naksa (or "the setback") marking 54 years since the second major land loss and mass expulsion of Palestinian people from their homeland. The event will include a march and a...
Pro-IDF restaurant owner Jeremy Sasson says critics of his pro-Israel post are “anti-Semitic”
June 5th, 20213 DETROIT — During the beginning days of Israel’s 11-day assault on Gaza, the owner of two popular restaurants took to Instagram to say he stood with Israel. Jeremy Sasson is the CEO of Heirloom Hospitality Group, LLC, which operates Prime + Proper in Detroit and Townhouse in Birmingham and Detroit, establishments regularly......
