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...
Jenin of the Fourth, patriotism and terrorism
July 5th, 20230 Americans celebrate their independence on the Fourth of July. It is a celebration of freedom, patriotism and American heroes. While we were here celebrating our independence from another country, an ongoing battle lasted over two days in Jenin between Palestinian resistance fighters and Israeli occupying forces. The Jenin refugee camp...
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...
“Not on our dime!”: Why U.S. Democrats are growingly challenging Israel
May 24th, 20230 Though the United States remains a strong supporter of Israel, there are some indications that the supposed “unbreakable bond” with Tel Aviv is faltering, though more in language than in deeds. Following the provocative “Flag March” on May 18, which is carried out annually by Israeli Jewish extremists in the Occupied......
Immigration policy should serve America’s interests
May 24th, 20230 All eyes have been on the U.S.-Mexico border in recent weeks as politicians and pundits assess the impact of changing rules for who can enter the United States. But the fixation on the border can distract from a bigger problem: America’s immigration system hasn’t kept up with the times. We need an immigration policy that advances...
India’s rise brings challenges, opportunity
May 11th, 20230 India is surpassing China to become the world’s most populous nation, according to data from the United Nations. This is a significant development with more than symbolic importance. India, with its huge, diverse population and its growing economy, is poised to play a leading role in global affairs. It’s also a key U.S. ally, but......
Classified docs leak: Who should go to prison
April 13th, 20230 by Thomas L. Knapp As I write this, Politico reports that the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation has made an arrest in the matter of “classified” government documents found circulating on social media after allegedly being posted on an Internet game chat server over a period of weeks or months. The New York Times reports that...
Embracing inclusivity: Accommodating Ramadan in our community’s theatrical performances and events
April 12th, 20230 By Rashid Baydoun In Metro Detroit, particularly in Dearborn and Dearborn Heights, our cities are home to a large Muslim community who actively participate in and support the local arts. However, the scheduling of events and performances during the holy month of Ramadan has posed challenges for our Muslim community members who wish to...
Lying about lying: Why we must revisit the definition of “fake news”
April 4th, 20230 The phrase “fake news” continues to be deployed routinely in U.S. politics. In a polarized political atmosphere, both Republicans and Democrats distrust media organizations affiliated with opposing parties. This means that most of what is uttered or written by CNN is “fake news” for Republicans, and much of what appears in...
Xi’s “chilling” remarks: A multipolar world offers challenges and opportunities to the Middle East and Africa
March 29th, 20230 The final exchange, caught on camera between visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian host and counterpart, Vladimir Putin, sums up the current geopolitical conflict, still in its nascent stages, between the United States and its Western allies on the one hand, and Russia, China and their allies, on the other. Xi was......
Mass protests and false hope: Israel’s supreme court is no friend of the Palestinian people
March 16th, 20230 As hundreds of thousands, throughout Israel, joined anti-government protests, questions began to arise regarding how this movement would affect, or possibly merge, into the wider struggle against the Israeli military occupation and apartheid in Palestine. Pro-Palestine media outlets shared, with obvious excitement, news about...
Victory is defeat: Palestinian children’s art exposes Israel’s cultural genocide
March 10th, 20230 The following text tells the whole story of what pro-Palestinian communities around the world are fighting for, and what pro-Israelis are fighting against: “We are delighted to report that Chelsea and Westminster Hospital has removed a display of artwork designed by children from Gaza.” That was the summary of a news report......
True champions of humanity in Türkiye and Syria: We thank you
February 22nd, 20230 On February 7, a funeral was held in the northern Syrian town of Jinderis. It was one of numerous such funerals to be held on that day across Syria and Türkiye, following a devastating earthquake that killed and injured thousands. Each one of these funerals represented two seemingly opposite notions: Collective grief and collective...
Opinion: Syria held hostage by the U.S. and its allies
February 17th, 20230 By Nimri Aziz Perhaps the most agonizing experience for a family, for any bystander, even for humanitarian professionals, is a double tragedy —a death or calamity where they are refused access, where they are forced to helplessly witness suffering, unable to offer succor. This is surely what faces millions of able-bodied Syrians......
