11-15-09 My candidacy for president of Palestine is a campaign for peace
My candidacy for president of Palestine is a campaign for peace
By Ray Hanania -- In 33 years of political journalism and election campaigning in America, I’ve learned that no one can predict an election outcome. Surprising things that people did not expect usually happens. And longshots with no hope of winning oftentimes do win. So with all that in mind, I am announcing my candidacy for President of Palestine. Read more »
HANANIA: Free Speech in America and the Arab World, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, July 7, 2008
By Ray Hanania – There is really no such thing as “free speech” in either the Arab World where tyrants handpicked by the Western powers openly oppress their people and in America, where the mainstream media picks and chooses what is free and what is not free. Demands for free speech resonate in both, and still those clarion calls for freedom are also marked by censorship, too. For example, in the Arab World, writers and groups constantly challenge the restrictions on free speech in America, and yet they condone censorship on those in their own circles with whom they disagree. This hypocrisy is particularly troubling for Arab Americans but something worth exploring in the wake of the American holiday that marks its freedom, the 4th of July. Read more »
HANANIA: Egyptian brokered “truce” undermines peace and strengthens Hamas, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, June 22, 2008
Egyptian brokered “truce” undermines peace and strengthens Hamas
By Ray Hanania – Many assert that the recent Egyptian-brokered “truce” between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip might open the door to a new peace initiative, but just the opposite can be expected. The truce actually undermines peace, undermines the secular Palestinian leadership in the West Bank that is steadily losing ground to the religious extremists, and only sets up Israel for more violence. Aside from the fact that Hamas will never be a partner to any true peace process, the “truce” also has a negative effect that will further discourage future peaceful negotiations. Read more »
HANANIA: Hamas kills civilians but not as many as Israel, For Immediate Release May 17, 2008
Hamas kills civilians, but not as many as Israel
By Ray Hanania — Reuters, which is slightly more objective in covering the Palestinian-Israeli conflict than most of its other Western counterparts, conservatively estimates that Israel’s military has killed “more than 100″ Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip during the past four months of this year. Palestinians put the number higher, at more than 250. B’tselem, the besieged Israeli human rights organization ostracized by fellow Jews, reports that Israeli soldiers have killed a total of 323 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the year. When it comes to counting Palestinian lives, the numbers are always fast and loose, often dictated by Israeli control and a pro-Israel Western news media that hesitates to criticize Israeli policies too harshly. Read more »
HANANIA: Hamas peace is an oxymoron, For Immediate Release, April 28, 2009
Hamas peace is an oxymoron
By Ray Hanania – Former President Jimmy Carter was sincere in his efforts to bridge the current conflict by bringing Hamas into a role as a participant in peace negotiations. But he is naïve is believing Hamas wants peace. Hamas is an extremist Islamist group that has succeeded in outdoing Israel’s government in committing violent acts and that has one goal, the creation of an Islamic Republic in Palestine. Hamas doesn’t want peace. It wants Israel’s defeat, something it will probably never have, at least not before wreaking a holocaust on its own people through escalating violence and conflict. Read more »
HANANIA: Arabs driven by biases that mirror Israeli biases, For Immediate Release, March 16, 2008
Arabs driven by biases that mirror Israeli biases
By Ray Hanania – Last month, Hamas terrorists fired rockets into Israel and killed an Israeli girl. The attack provoked a massive response from Israel which claimed to target Hamas militants but ended up killing dozens of Palestinian civilians. Palestinians, Muslims and Arabs roundly condemned the Israeli attacks, but made no mention of the murder of the Israeli girl. Israelis were no different, condemning the murder of the little girl and then excusing away the murder of scores of innocent Palestinian civilians. As the back and forth escalated, the partisanship increased with Palestinians ignoring their attacks against Israel and Israelis ignoring their attacks against Palestinians. And people wonder why peace has been elusive so far in the Middle East. Read more »
HANANIA: Don’t allow Hamas to recapture control of Palestine, For Immediate Release, 12-11-07
Don’t allow Hamas to regain any control in Palestine
By Ray Hanania – The acronym FATAH is based on the Arabic words “Harakat al-Tahrir (Al-Watani) al-Filasteen,” a movement dedicated to the (national) liberation of Palestine. Hamas is based on the Arabic words “Harakat Al-Muqawama Al-Islamia” which is a movement dedicated to zealous Islam, not the liberation of Palestine. Many people say the Oslo Peace Accords failed because the differences between Israelis and Palestinians were huge. But that is a lie. In truth, the real problem was Hamas. The failure of peace has always been caused by Hamas, a religious terrorist organization that as soon as it is done wiping out all the Jews in Palestine and Israel will quickly turn its wrath on Arab Christians. Read more »
HANANIA: Ashqar prosecution symbolizes American legal hypocrisies, For Immediate Release, 11-23-07
American hypocrisy in Ashqar political persecution
By Ray Hanania – Palestinian Muslim Abdelhaleem Ashqar was sentenced to 11 years in prison this week because he refused to testify against an organization he says is defending the rights his people. Ashqar was a part of the political persecution launched by disgraced former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft that also included Bridgeview car salesman Mohammed Salah. Like Salah, Ashqar was singled out for political convenience. Although neither man had anything to do with allegations of terrorism – a fact proven in their trials – they were instead vindictively punished because of America’s one-sided policies that prosecute Palestinian extremism but ignore extremism in Israel that also has undermined peace. Read more »
Our Syndicated Columnists
RAY HANANIA is a syndicated columnist. His columns appear in numerous publications including the Jerusalem Post, the Arab News, the Arab American News, the Southwest News Herald and more. Hanania is the publisher of the National Arab American Times Newspaper. Named Best Ethnic American Columnist for 2007 by the New America Media, and the 2009 Mehdi Courage in Journalism Awardee, Hanania hosts a morning Radio Show of Radio Chicagoland, in Chicago (Mon-Fri, 8-9:30 am) on WJJG 1530 AM Radio. He is an internationally acclaimed standup comedian, author of the humor book Ya Habibi, and pens the Comic Strip called Shades of Gray. View his complete Bio?
ALI YOUNES is an award winning, veteran journalist and columnist. He is an expert on the Arabic language. Managing Editor of The Arab Desk web site, Ali's columns appear in newspapers across the country. He is a 2002 recipient of the National Arab American Journalists Association Excellence in Writing Award.
ANISA MEHDI is an Emmy Award-winning journalist specializing in religion, the arts, and people. For over 20 years she has reported, written, directed and produced television news and documentary programs for major American media outlets, including National Geographic, PBS, ABC News, and CBS. Her commentaries have been heard on NPR’s “All Things Considered.” Ms. Mehdi is founder and president of Whetstone Productions, a New Jersey-based production and consulting company. She is adjunct Professor of Communications at Seton Hall University. She writes a twice weekly for the Newark Star-Ledger Newspaper blog. View her complete Bio?
Click here to Read Anisa's Blog
SAFFIYA SHILLO is a peace activist, communications specialist and community editor for the National Arab American Times Newspaper. Ms. Shillo serves as a Board Member of the Palestinian American Women's Society. Her activism is extensive, having served as the former President of the Palestinian American Congress-Chicago Chapter, as a National Board member of the American Task Force on Palestine, and as Director of the Arab American Institute's Chicago office. Active in Jewish/Israeli-Palestinian dialogue, Ms. Shillo gives presentations to national organizations on strategies and methods to achieve peace through dialogue. Ms. Shillo also served as Director of Ethnic Affairs for the State of Illinois' Office of Lieutenant Governor, and worked as a domestic violence/sexual assault counselor serving Chicago's Arab community. She can be reached at smshillo@yahoo.com
MARIA KOUREMENOU KHOURY
Guest Columnist
is the author of Witness in the Holy Land, reflecting her personal experience living under the Israeli Occupation with husband, the honorable Mayor David C. Khoury, and their three children. Her articles bringing awareness of the Christian presence in the Holy Land and the plight of the Palestinians have been published worldwide in numerous newspapers and translated to various languages. Maria is a graduate of Hellenic College, Harvard University and Boston University with a doctor of education degree. Born in Tripoli, Greece, she was raised in Denver, Colorado. Contact Maria at: Khourymaria@hotmail.com. Her guest columns appear occasionally.
ALADDIN ELAASAR is an award winning Arab American journalist and author of several books including Silent Victims: The plight of Arabs and Muslims in Post 9/11 America. Elaasar is also a member of the National Arab American Journalists Association. Email him at omaraladin@aol.com. His latest book is The Last Pharoah: Mubarak and the Uncertain Future of Egypt in the MidEast.
-
Ray Hanania on WJJG RADIO
Get Info? - Arab American News Resources: Top 5 topics missed by the mainstream American media. Click to go to the AAN Resource Page?
- Tony Rezko related news and opinions: Chronology, government documents, columns and local background into the controversy. Click for Rezko Resources page
Blogroll
- - AlJazeera English online TV
- - Arabisto.com
- - Hanania’s weekly live radio show RSS Feed
- - Middle East Peace Discussion board
- - Radio Chicagoland WJJG 1530 AM Mon-Fri 8-9:30 AM
- - Ray Hanania’s World Comic Strips
- - The Camera and I
- – 2008 Arab American Media Directory
- – Anisa Mehdi
- – Arab American TV Online
- – Comedian Sherif Hedayat
- – Editor & Publisher Magazine
- – Israeli-Palestinian Comedy Tour
- – Justin Martin’s Arab Street
- – Middle East Times News Site
- – MidEastYouth.com News/Blog
- – NAAJA Media Watch
- – National Arab American Journalists Association
- – National Arab American Times Newspaper
- – NewsWhacker
- – Palestine Press Network
- – Ray Hanania
- – Society of Professional Journalists
- – SPJ Al-Sahafiyeen Blog
- – The Arab Desk
- – The Comic Torah
Books & author products
HANANIA'S PODCAST INTERVIEWS ON MIDDLE EASTERN TOPICS>
Click to Go to Ray Hanania's Middle East Podcast Interviews?. Ray conducts interviews on Middle East and Arab topics that are podcast through iTunes and by the National Arab American Times Newspaper at www.AATimesNews.com.
Veteran Award winning reporter Ray Hanania shares the secrets he learned from 32-plus years of frontline journalism to you can create an internet network that will allow you to side step the biases, challenges and failings of the mainstream American News media. Set up an effective New Media Internet Network bringing together web sites, blogs, social media, and create a strategy that delivers your message, product and opinion to the largest possible public audience. $34.95. 238 Pages.
ANISA MEHDI'S DOCUMENTARY
More than 2.5 million Muslims from across the globe embark on a Hajj and converge on Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to ask pardon for their sins and renew their spiritual commitment though a elaborate series of ancient rites and rituals. And it's not optional - every adult Muslim who is physically and financially able to do so is expected to make the hajj at least once in his or her lifetime. Despite the enormity of this annual pilgrimage, it has seldom been witnessed by outsiders, as Mecca is strictly off-limits to non-Muslims. Now, with unprecedented access to Islam's holiest city, National Geographic takes the spiritual journey of a lifetime, following three Muslims from very different backgrounds - an executive from Malaysia, a radio evangelist from South Africa, and a blond-haired, blue-eyed professor from Texas - as they take part in an epic five-day quest for salvation.
ARABS OF CHICAGOLAND
Arabs first settled in Chicagoland in the mid-19th century, when immigrants from all parts of the world were flowing steadily into the U.S. As tensions in the Arab world flared, immigration increased—the first to arrive were Lebanese Christians, followed by Muslim Palestinians. Today, there are more than 250,000 Arabs in the Chicago area, with equal numbers of Christians and Muslims. A part of the fabric of Chicago, Arabs serve in many roles, from business leaders to elected officials to judges, doctors, engineers, journalists, and more. In the wake of the tragedy of September 11, 2001, Arab Americans have come under great scrutiny and have suffered much misunderstanding. Now, this book, which explores their integral role in Chicagoland’s growth, is especially important.
RAY HANANIA'S HUMOR BOOK
A collection of essays on the experiences growing up Arab and Palestinian living in a Jewish community in America on Chicago's South Side. Includes humor and anecdotal stories along with serious topic discussion. The first book to detail Arab American life first published in the United States in 1996. This 2nd Edition is published in 2007.
ARAB AMERICAN MEDIA DIRECTORY
The ONLY directory of Arab American ethnic media -- newspapers, radio and TV. Plus organizations and religious institutions and more. Only $35 in PDF Format
Top Stories
CLICK HERE BETWEEN 8 AM & 9:30 AM CST
TO LISTEN TO
"MORNINGS WITH RAY HANANIA"
- LIVE INTERNET STREAMING AUDIO