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 »


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
ALADDIN ELAASAR is an award winning Arab American journalist and author of several books including 








