Aid Ship to Gaza Intercepted by Israeli Navy

FREE GAZA'S SHIP, The Spirit of Humanity is now surrounded by the Israeli Navy, being threatened and radios jammed!

652PM EST 6/29/09

At 1:40 am (local time), the Israeli Navy surrounded the SPIRIT while it is on its way to the Gaza Strip. We got a call from the boat saying that they were being threatened, told to turn back or they would be fired on.
Huwaida Arraf, one of the delegation leaders, was on the phone with the Israeli gunboats, and we could hear her saying, "You Cannot Open Fire on Unarmed Civilians" several times. At this writing, they are surrounded by several ships shining bright lights into the SPIRIT.

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Iran's Uprising: Food for Thought

Ever since the Iranian revolution stunned the world in 1979, the Arab world, or at least the Arab regimes and their allies in the West, have been obsessing over Iran's "exporting of the revolution" and the implications it would have on the Arab world. Eventually, this obsession manifested itself into a Sunni-Shi'a divide. Rumors and speculations quickly spread across the Arab world about the Islamic Republic's plans to spread Shi'ism across the Middle East, hence terminologies such as, "Shi'a Revival" and "Shi'a Crescent" have emerged, fueling fear and suspicion amongst Arabs across the region.

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A Druze Intifada

It took Arab Druze in Israel 61 years to discover that they are third class citizens of the state!

Several hundred Druze demonstrators clashed with police outside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office Sunday during a protest against what they said was state discrimination against their community. Oh Really!

"Our soldiers serve at the front but there's no state support at home" read one of the placards at the protest.

"A Druze is as good as a Jew in war, but when it comes to budgets, 10 Druze children are equal to one Jewish child," read another sign.

I'd like feel sorry for them...but they have blood on their hands. For six decades they loyally served Israel in the role of "House Arabs."

It Ain't Over Till The Ayatollah Says So

For a week now, Iran has commanded the world's attention. Tens of thousands of protesters demonstrated for six days in a row to express their outrage about the results of the election. Protesters from various walks of life marched in the streets of Tehran "to get their votes back". Some had not even voted but still felt the urge to protest and despite threats from the Basij militia they took to the street. They braved the beatings, and on Thursday dressed in black to mourn their comrades who were killed in clashes earlier during the week.

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Saudi Arabia: A Player in Midlle East Elections

It is a contradiction to mention Saudi Arabia (an absolute monarchy) and elections in the same sentence; however, no country in the Middle East, as of late, has been more invested in this democratic process than Saudi Arabia. For the record, election is part of the democratic process; Saudi Arabia is not.
According to some reports which have been circulating in the Arab media, the Saudis poured more money into the Lebanese parliamentary race that propelled the coalition of Sa'ad el-Hariri into victory than what was spent on Barack Obama's U.S. presidential bid. Lebanon, however, is a country of only four million.

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Feeling the Hate In Jerusalem on Eve of Obama's Cairo Address

If this video was done about Palestinians or Arabs saying the same ignorant and racist stuff, it would have been breaking news on CNN and would have received wall to wall coverage on FOX. Disgusting! That's all what I can say!

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Al-Jazeera English to air in San Francisco

Al-Jazeera English, corporate cousin to the Arabic-language network, is nearly 3 years old and available in 100 countries but only a smattering of U.S. homes - until Monday, when San Francisco's Link TV will begin carrying "World News," its 30-minute daily news program.

The move not only gives Al-Jazeera English a foot in the door to the 31 million U.S. homes that Link TV reaches, but it is symbolic of a growing thaw in the post-9/11 feelings toward the Arab and Muslim worlds since President Obama's election, observers say.

In his latest outreach, Obama will give a speech in Cairo next week in which he said he will outline how "the United States can change for the better its relationship with the Muslim world. That will require a recognition on both the part of the United States as well as many majority Muslim countries about each other, a better sense of understanding."

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Silencing Palestinians in Israel

JERUSALEM, May 27 (UPI) -- The Israeli Knesset Wednesday approved a preliminary reading of a bill that would outlaw calls for the end of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state.
The measure, approved 47-37, was sponsored by Habayit Hayehudi party MK Zevulun Orlev and calls for the year-long imprisonment of anyone making public comments that would "cause an act of hatred, scorn or disloyalty to the state," The Jerusalem Post reported.
The bill came hard on the heels of another measure proposed this week by Yisrael Beiteinu MK Alex Miller that seeks to outlaw commemorating Israel's Independence Day as a day of mourning, as many Palestinians and some Israeli Arabs do now.
That bill moves Israel to an "apartheid state," an Arab member of Knesset declared Sunday, saying it is "is no less severe than the laws enacted by the Third Reich."

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Ahmadinejad: Ballots and Missiles

The competition in the Iranian presidential election is heating up, or so it seemed until recently on Iranian government-sponsored television. Unlike the previous election, the challengers to incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are well-known heavyweights who include former Prime Minister Mir-Mossein Moussavi, former Majlis (Parliament) speaker Mehdi Karroubi, and Secretary of the Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaie; the candidates had been getting regular coverage on their opposing policies, with each making his case for the presidency.

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A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words

Following his meeting with US President Barack Obama at the White House, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a special briefing to Israeli reporters, and told them that the president planned to formulate a new Middle East peace initiative which would be presented soon.
The prime minister termed the plan "interesting," and said that it would involve not just the Palestinians and Israelis, but also a number of moderate Arab states.

Yup...another NEW peace initiative...and Palestinians are very thrilled with the Israeli occupation!

Iraq: 6 Years in 6 weeks

It has been six years since the US led invasion of Iraq began. Those years have brought both hope and joy as well as death, destruction and despair for many Iraqis.

Regardless of which angle you look at the country from, it is obvious that the people of Iraq have paid a heavy price for their so-called freedom during the last six years.

In a special series of films, Witness highlights some of the untold stories of the ordinary people trapped in the middle of the crisis. SIX YEARS IN IRAQ recounts stories of pain and horror but also stories of courage and hope.

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Mousawa: An Alternative to a Two-State Solution

For the past 10 years, the "two-state solution" has been the mantra of the United States, and of most countries involved in bringing a lasting peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians. But now, Netanyahu is calling for what he says is a fresh approach to peace with the Palestinians.
"The fresh approach that I suggest is pursuing a triple track toward peace between Israel and the Palestinians: a political track, a security track and an economic track," said the prime minister via satellite to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) annual conference in Washington.
Mr. Netanyahu made no mention of a two-state solution.

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Why I'm Squeamish Around Religious Fanatics?

We are financing evangelism in Afghanistan. Apparently, the US military has confiscated Bibles that Christian US soldiers in Afghanistan had apparently intended to give to local Muslims, a military spokesman has said. Al Jazeera broadcast footage that showed troops preparing to convert Afghans to their faith. Now you know why I am squeamish around religious fanatics: Jews, Christians, and Muslims!

Pacman destroys Hitman

Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton was totally annihilated by Manny "Pacman" Pacquia. The fight lasted a mere 2 rounds when Hatton was floored only 7 seconds from the end of the round. He could not get up. Actually, I have concerns that this might have been a damaging punch with lasting effects.

The fight was predictable. I mean, Hatton has tasted canvas for the first time when Floyd Mayweather Jr. knocked him out in the same arena last year. Pacquiao is faster than Mayweather and packs more power behind his punches. The payday $12 Million each...not bad for 6 minutes of work!