Chicago/IL/01-14-10 -- The National Arab American Journalists Association, which is partnered with the Society of Professional Journalists and the Asian American Journalists Association, tonight issued a protest to the Government of Israel demanding the release of journalist Jared Malsin.

Malsin was detained and interrogated for more than 8 hours and continues to be in custody on charges of criticizing Israel in articles and columns published by the Ma’an News Agency based in Bethlehem, Palestine.

“Journalism freedoms are essential to Democracy and building of peace. Any action to censor or restrict or threaten or intimidate journalists for the sole ‘crime’ of expressing an opinion or covering stories frowned on by the occupation government is a violation not only of international law but a violation of Israel’s claim to be Democratic and fair,” said Ray Hanania, NAAJA coordinator based in Chicago.

“NAAJA is not only calling on Israel to immediately release Jaslin, but also urging Israeli journalists who claim to be objective and concerned about free speech, Democracy and the accuracy in reporting to also publicly protest the arrest.”

Hanania, a Chicago morning radio host and syndicated opinion columnist whose commentary appears in publications such as the Arab News, the Jerusalem Post and in many newspapers across the United States, said that NAAJA has issued formal letters to Israel’s embassy in Washington D.C., to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and to Israel’s Ministry of Information in Jerusalem.

“When the government of Israel detains journalists on trumped up charges and on censorship, then Israel is basically admitting that they do abuse citizen rights, they do violate international law and they do not respect the fundamental basics that will one day usher in an era of peace,” Hanania said.

NAAJA calls on journalists around the world to speak out against this detention and demand Jared M... [Read More]

Invitation for Press Conference: 50 MPs/MEPs leave to Gaza

The European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza (ECESG) will hold a press conference tomorrow Wednesday, in which it will announce the launch of a parliamentarian trip to Gaza that includes tens of MPs/MEPs from across Europe. The press conference will be conducted at 12 PM, at M ROOM Portcullis house in the British Parliament in london.

The delegation trip to Gaza is part of a series of actions carried out by ECESG and the Palestinian Return Center in the UK and Europe. For an entire week, actions and events for Palestinian victims will be carried in remembrance of the victims killed in the past 60 years especially Gaza.

Gerald Kaufmann, MP would be chairing the conference which will state the aim of the visit. Other participating MPs will speak as well.

The largest Parliamentarian Delegation from across Europe is preparing to leave to the besieged Gaza Strip within 2 days.  The delegation will aim at looking at the realty and the humanitarian conditions resulted in the Israeli war and a 4-year siege.

In press statement, The European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza (ECESG) said it has finalized all needed arrangements and fully coordinated with the Egyptian Foreign Ministry concerning the visit of the MEPs and MPs delegation to Gaza via Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza."

ECESG pointed out that the delegation consists of 50 MPs/MEPs. The parliamentarians represent twelve European countries whom of which will be members of the European Parliament and former ministers. They will investigate and see the ramifications of last onslaught perpetrated against the Gaza civilians.

The delegation will meet with Egyptian officials and the Secretary General of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, to discuss the humanitarian condition in Gaza Strip, especially in light of the continued siege which Israel h... [Read More]

Yalla Peace Party to form Chapters in Palestine and Israel

Chicago – Yalla Peace Party founder Ray Hanania today announced that supporters are being asked to form Yalla Peace Party Chapters in Palestine, Israel and throughout the Diaspora to promote peace based on the two-state solution.

Hanania, a Chicago radio talk show host, satirist and syndicated political columnist, unveiled a platform of ideas to address the toughest challenges facing peace and those ideas are being embraced widely and will form the basis of the new Yalla Peace Party chapters.

Among the proposals are two new strategies, the first to embrace two-states and create a sovereign Palestine State along side Israel, rather than struggle through difficult details one at a time, and a creative solution to the cornerstone of Palestinian resistance to an agreement, resolving the rights of the Palestinian Refugees.

“Peace is about activism. We all know what the solution is already. What we need now is an activism to make that peace happen,” Hanania said. “I am asking the thousands of supporters who have sent me emails and letters and called to say they support this vision to now take it one step further. Start a Yalla Peace Party chapter where they live. It doesn't matter if you live in Palestine or in the Diaspora, in Israel or in any other country. Yalla Peace is not about one person but about a movement to bring peace based on two-states.”

Hanania said the strategy is to get individuals to b... [Read More]

A PALESTINIAN CHRISTIAN CALL TO END THE OCCUPATION

A group of Palestinian Christians representing a variety of churches and church-related organizations have issued an animated and prayerful call for an end to occupation of Palestine by Israel. The call, issued at an 11 December meeting in Bethlehem, comes at a time when many Palestinians believe they have reached a dead end. It raises questions to the international community, political leaders in the region, and the churches worldwide about their contribution to the Palestinian people's pursuit of freedom. Even in the midst of "our catastrophe" the call is described as a word of faith, hope and love.

Referred to as "The Kairos Palestine Document" the call echoes a similar summons issued by South African churches in the mid-1980s at the height of repression under the apartheid regime. That call served to galvanize churches and the wider public in a concerted effort that eventually brought the end of apartheid.

The authors of the Kairos Palestine Document, among them Patriarch Emeritus Michel Sabbah from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Lutheran Bishop of Jerusalem Munib Younan, and Archbishop Theodosios Atallah Hanna of Sebastia from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, have raised the challenge of the urgency for peace with justice to religious and political leaders in Palestinian and the Israeli society, international community, and to "our Christian brothers and sisters in the churches" around the world. They believe that current efforts in the Middle East are confined to managing the crisis rather than finding pertinent and long term solutions to the crisis.

Decrying empty promises

Expressing their pain, the signatories of the call decry the emptiness of the promises and pronouncements about peace in the region. They remind the world about the separation wall erected on Palestinian terri... [Read More]

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ray Hanania

Dec. 4, 2009
rghanania@gmail.com

www.YallaPeace.com

Palestinian American to run for President of Palestine

On Peace Party platform encouraging two-states

Chicago – Saying that the current Israeli and Palestinian leadership has failed to do their best to achieve peace, American Palestinian Ray Hanania announced he was throwing his hat in the ring in order to elevate creative new solutions to Middle East conflict and kick-start a Palestinian-Israeli public dialogue on peace.

Hanania, a Chicago radio talk show host, satirist and syndicated political columnist, unveiled a platform of ideas to address the toughest challenges facing peace.

Among the proposals are two new strategies, the first to embrace two-states and create a sovereign Palestine State along side Israel, rather than struggle through difficult details one at a time, and a creative solution to the cornerstone of Palestinian resistance to an agreement, resolving the rights of the Palestinian Refugees.

“We all know what the solution is already. We all know that 95 percent of the issues have been resolved or are near resolution,” Hanania said. “But what we don’t have are Israeli and Palestinian leaders with the resolve and the courage  displayed by former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and former President Yasir Arafat to achieve peace and make it work.”

Hanania said that his campaign platform outlines real ideas that must be discussed not just by the leadership but by both the Palestinian and Israeli publics.

“We need to initiate a new public-wide dialogue between our two peoples, a dialogue that has never really taken place. And I hope to kick-start such a public dialogue with my ideas, simple ideas that make sense and offer an equitable solu... [Read More]

STORIES, ARTIFACTS FROM ARAB AMERICAN PUBLIC SERVANTS SOUGHT FOR UPCOMING EXHIBITION

Dearborn, MI (November 17, 2009) – The Arab American National Museum is issuing a nationwide call for stories and artifacts for potential inclusion in its exhibition Arab Americans in Service to Our Country, set to open in February 2012. 

This exhibition will allow the Museum to document and present to audiences the public service-oriented contributions of Arab Americans to our society. This timely exhibition serves the Museum’s mission to “document, preserve and educate the public about the history, life, culture and contributions of Arab Americans.”  

Target Communities

This exhibition will reflect the experiences of Arab Americans regardless of time of immigration, religious affiliation, national origin or place of residency. We seek individual and organizational stories, artifacts and historical documents that reflect the Arab American experience through public service in the following areas: Peace Corps; AmeriCorps; City Year; Teach for America; all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces; U.S. diplomatic corps; and municipal police and fire departments. Collected artifacts and historical documents can be donated or loaned to the Museum. 

Items Requested

The AANM is seeking items that represent the diversity of the Arab American experience, including representation from all states, all Arab American communities, and all of the aforementioned service areas. Potential items include: oral histories; medals, awards, and other honors; letters and documents; personal objects; uniforms or other clothing worn by servicepersons; or photographs and memorabilia collected during the period of service. 

How to S... [Read More]

STATEMENT ON FORT HOOD SHOOTINGS FROM ASSOCIATION OF PATRIOTIC ARAB AMERICANS IN THE MILITARY

At a time of deep sorrow in the midst of this horrific tragedy, our thoughts are first and foremost with the Fort Hood shooting victims and their families. One can only imagine the unspeakable pain and loss they are and will be dealing with in the weeks, months and years to come.

It is unfortunate that whatever demons possessed Nidal Hasan, that he chose to deal with his problems in this way.

In the aftermath of this terrible tragedy, it is more important than ever that we not make the same scapegoating and broad stroke mistakes that were evident in the aftermath of previous tragedies. The Association of Patriotic Arab Americans in Military urges the media, government officials and all of our fellow Americans to recognize that the actions of Hasan are those of a deranged gunman, and are in no way representative of the wider Arab American or American Muslim community.

In fact, thousands of Arab Americans and American Muslims serve honorably everyday in all four branches of the U.S. military and in the National Guard. Additionally, many of us have willingly stepped forward to fulfill our duty with our fellow soldiers in both Afghanistan, Iraq and other locations around the globe, including most of the member of APAAM. Indeed, many of us are today currently deployed in both countries, honorably serving each and every day.

The Association of Patriotic Arab Americans in Military (APAAM) was created shortly after September 11th, 2001, in an effort to organize current and former Arab- Americans in the military. There are approximately 3,500 Arab- Americans serving in our Armed Forces.  Based on the fact that there are no other formal organizations representing Arab- Americans in the military, APAAM has the distinction of being the first official organization for Arab- Americans in the Military.... [Read More]