Crossroads Arabia

Take Causeway To Bahrain? Prepare for a Long Wait

Take Causeway To Bahrain? Prepare for a Long Wait

CROSSROADS ARABIA: Traffic across the King Fahd Causeway linking Saudi Arabia to Bahrain is increasing hugely year on year. What’s to be done?

 Ramzy Baroud

Welcome To the Media Circus Whose Name is ‘Negotiation’

Welcome To the Media Circus Whose Name is ‘Negotiation’

RAMZY BAROUD: Prepare yourself for cliche, ‘grin and grip’ photo opportunities and nothing of susbtance – here comes the so-called ‘Negotiation Process’

 Juan Cole

‘Inhumanity’, Not ‘Sexting’, Is Anthony Weiner’s Real Problem

‘Inhumanity’, Not ‘Sexting’, Is Anthony Weiner’s Real Problem

JUAN COLE: Weiner’s been caught out again. The really big deal about him though is his unwavering support for virulently anti-Palestinian policies

 Common Ground News Service

Arab-Israeli Teachers ‘Helping to Improve Understanding’

Arab-Israeli Teachers ‘Helping to Improve Understanding’

COMMON GROUND NEWS: The recruitment of newly qualified Arab-Israeli teachers will help drive shared citizenship initiatives

 Mondoweiss

‘Let’s Talk About Talking. And Just Keep on Building’

‘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’.

 Common Ground News Service

Urgent To Do’s: A New Constitution and Reconciliation Programme

Urgent To Do’s: A New Constitution and Reconciliation Programme

MOHAMED EL SAYED, CGNEWS: Whatever your views about what has happened recently in Egypt it’s clear where we need to go from here.

 Common Ground News Service

Striking a Chord: Palestinian and Israeli Youth Sing Together

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

 Ramzy Baroud

The Egyptian Lesson: The People’s Voice Doesn’t Matter

The Egyptian Lesson: The People’s Voice Doesn’t Matter

RAMZY BAROUD: It’s a dismal, depressing conclusion to make following events over the past two weeks. But it’s clear what ‘democracy’ means for Egyptians

 Steve Royston

‘Wadjda’ – A Beautiful, Nuanced Evocation of Saudi Life

‘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?

 Jonathan Cook

What’s Happening to Palestinians Has a Name: ‘Apartheid’

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.

 Tabsir

Democracy and Revolutions: Drawing a Line Is Not Easy

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?

 Ramzy Baroud

Palestinian Division: It’s Real, It’s Deep, It’s Destructive

Palestinian Division: It’s Real, It’s Deep, It’s Destructive

RAMZY BAROUD: In spite of all of the talk about unity among Palestinians the fissures that divide Hamas and Fatah supporters are too deep

 Tabsir

‘A Mental Defect’, Mr Brooks? Try Looking in the Mirror.

‘A Mental Defect’, Mr Brooks? Try Looking in the Mirror.

DANIEL M. VARISCO: David Brooks is taking a dangerous road by ascribing what he calls ‘mental deficiencies’ to the Egyptian people.

 Crossroads Arabia

Saudi Authorities Greet Departure of Morsi With…Delight

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

 Juan Cole

Wasted Opportunities: Brotherhood Is ‘Egypt’s Tea Party’

Wasted Opportunities: Brotherhood Is ‘Egypt’s Tea Party’

JUAN COLE: President Morsi has no one to blame but himself. By imposing a ‘Brotherisation’ of Egyptian politics he has forced the opposition onto the streets.

 Abu Muhammed

Better Than The West: An Immigrant’s View of Saudi Arabia

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.

 Ramzy Baroud

Scratch, Scratch: The Western Itch To Intervene Is Insatiable

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

 Steve Royston

‘The Devil’s Fire’: Syria’s Unique Blend of Pure Horror

‘The Devil’s Fire’: Syria’s Unique Blend of Pure Horror

STEVE ROYSTON: The situation in Syria is so desperate, so serious and so wide-ranging that it has the potential to affect every individual living in the region

 Juan Cole

‘Domestic Issue Deflection?’ Morsi’s Call for Syrian Action

‘Domestic Issue Deflection?’ Morsi’s Call for Syrian Action

JUAN COLE: President Morsi’s called for a no-fly zone over Syria. He is, though, facing a raft of serious issues at home

 Tabsir

“Game Changer”: Is This The Phrase That Will Haunt Obama?

“Game Changer”: Is This The Phrase That Will Haunt Obama?

DANIEL M. VARISCO: For George W. Bush the phrase was ‘Mission Accomplished’. For his successor there could be another phrase that defines his foreign affair policy