‘Let’s Talk About Talking. And Just Keep on Building’
MARC ELLIS, MONDOWEISS: Don’t expect anything of substance from the proposed meetings between Israeli and Palestinian ‘negotiators’.
Dubai Road Rage Incident: The Law Takes Two Courses
ALEXANDER MCNABB: It may have come as a surprise to the individual who filmed and loaded the video on YouTube that he was potentially breaking the law.
“An Earthquake”: Israeli Authorities’ View of EU Decision
MONDOWEISS: The decision of the EU to ban all EU funding of projects in the occupied territories has certainly caught the Israeli government napping.
‘Where To, Guv?’: London’s Black Cabs Head to Gulf
CROSSROADS ARABIA: A true London icon – the Black Cab – is set to take to the streets in number in Riyadh and Dubai. It’s good the vehicles are so robust.
A Rainy Ramadan in Salalah: Of Caffeine, Vimto and Tourists
Six days down and approximately 23 more to go if the moon cooperates! Once again Dhofar has been blessed with cool temperatures and a heavier-than-normal monsoon drizzle to help us get through the holy month of fasting. To be honest, I am not necessarily looking forward to a couple of years from now when Ramadan […]
Striking a Chord: Palestinian and Israeli Youth Sing Together
LINDA ABDUL AZIZ MENUHIN, CGNEWS: An initiative that brings young Palestinians and Israelis together for group singing has been embraced by both communities
‘The Blood’ and ‘The Bang-Bang’: A Freelancer in Syria
FRANCESCA BORRI, TABSIR: The demands of the editors are depressingly obvious and there is little interest in explaining context.
‘Wadjda’ – A Beautiful, Nuanced Evocation of Saudi Life
STEVE ROYSTON: It’s the story of a young girl’s everyday life in Riyadh. How many Saudis, though, will give up the chance to see the latest CGI blockbuster to view it?
What’s Happening to Palestinians Has a Name: ‘Apartheid’
JONATHAN COOK: It’s time to end the mealy-mouthed, legalistic description of what Israel is imposing on Palestinians. Their treatment has a name, let’s use it.
Democracy and Revolutions: Drawing a Line Is Not Easy
HANI SHURKALLAH, TABSIR: How could the people of Egypt support the parody of democracy that the Muslim Brotherhood had established?
Sectarian Division Undone: Army Unifies Lebanese People
NADA AKL, CGNEWS: There have been consistent attempts by some individuals to drive wedges through Lebanese society. But we are resisting the sectarian clarion call
Saudi Authorities Greet Departure of Morsi With…Delight
CROSSROADS ARABIA: Most Gulf countries have been circumspect in their reaction to the toppling of Morsi’s government. Not so Saudi Arabia
‘We Can Matter’: Young Israeli Addresses Arab Idol Winner
NATAN ODENHEIMER, CGNEWS: In an open letter a former IDF soldier praises Mohammed Assaf and spells out how he believes he can help unite the two communities
Oman’s ‘Extraordinary Women’ Conference: No Ordinary Event
SUSAN AL SHAHRI: The conference certainly had an intriguing title but what would it actually deliver?
Better Than The West: An Immigrant’s View of Saudi Arabia
ABU MOHAMMED: Sometimes life in the Kingdom can be more than a little testing but it has unqualified advantages.
Scratch, Scratch: The Western Itch To Intervene Is Insatiable
RAMZY BAROUD: You can be sure that whatever turmoil is happening in the Middle East the hands of the West will be present
In Saudi Restaurants ‘A Woman’s Place Is In The Kitchen’
At least in restaurants in Saudi Arabia, that’s where women ‘belong’. Arab News reports that the Ministry of Labor still bans women from working as waitresses or cashiers in restaurants, permitting them only to work in kitchens. The reason, of course, is to prevent the ‘mingling’ of the sexes in the workplace. It’s easy to […]
Qatar’s Surprise Abdication: So What Happens Next?
DAVID ROBERTS: Once again Qatar has caught the world by surprise with an abdication which has resulted in one of the world’s youngest leaders coming to power.
Satire in the Arab World: Getting to the Crux of Issues
TABSIR: Jon Stewart’s recent appearance on Bassem Youssef’s Egyptian show underscores the power that satirists have to unsettle holders of power
A Happy Accident: The Undiscovered Joy of Doha
SARAH WALTON: If you happen to find yourself in Doha by accident, and a lot of people do, here’s a guide to the high-spots.
