· July, 2008

Stories Middle East & North Africa from July, 2008

Israel: Much Ado Over a Prayer

  July 31, 2008

While in Israel, US presidential hopeful Barack Obama placed a prayer in the Western Wall during a pre-dawn visit. Soon enough, a Jewish religious student fished the private note from the wall and gave it to Ma'ariv, where it was published - drawing criticism to both the newspaper and Obama himself. Bloggers were quick to take sides, with some insinuating that perhaps Obama had 'prayed' for the prayer to go public.

Palestine: Like Obama, Like Abbas

  July 31, 2008

Emotions continue to run high following US presidential hopeful Barack Obama's visit to the Middle East. The feelings range from desperation and hopelessness to disappointment and disbelief to the conclusion that all politicians are the same - that they just have to say what people want to hear until they are in office. One blogger even draws parallels between Obama and Palestinian leader Mahmood Abbas.

Flap continues over ‘Obama is my slave’ t-shirt

  July 29, 2008

Lost in the hubbub of last week’s New Yorker cartoon flap was another image controversy regarding Democratic nominee for President Barack Obama. The second deals with a self-proclaimed provocateur going by the name Apollo Braun, a designer of a line of t-shirts stating “Obama Is My Slave”, “Who Killed Obama?”,“Jews Against Obama” and “Obama=Hitler.” John Liebhardt brings us the latest buzz from the blogosphere.

New Zealand: Citizen Arrest for Condi

  July 27, 2008

In addition to talks with the New Zealand Government, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was in for a surprise when the Auckland University Students' Association (AUSA) announced a $5,000 reward for any student who makes a citizen's arrest on the visiting official. The reward has since been withdrawn and according to Press reports, AUSA had said the arrest would be for Dr Rice's role in “overseeing the illegal invasion and continued occupation” of Iraq, and crimes under the Geneva Conventions Act 1958, and the Crimes of Torture Act 1989."

Sudan: Who's Next After Al Bashir on the US Hit List?

  July 26, 2008

The International Criminal Court Prosecutor has requested an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir for his ”criminal responsibility in relation to 10 counts of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.” A Sudanese blogger writing in Arabic wonders who will be next on the United States' hit list which targets Arab leaders.

Iranian Jewish Immigrant Community Likes McCain

  July 25, 2008

Immigrant communities in the US, whether able to vote or not, have so far played a public role in this year's elections. Many, fed up with US foreign policy, are looking to the incoming president, whomever it may be, for change. One such community is the large Iranian-American Jewish community, the majority of whom live in California. A recent article and podcast, in the The Jewish Journal, focuses on the opinions of that community and their concerns with foreign policy.

Obama's ripple effect on the Egyptian blogosphere – Part 2

  July 22, 2008

Moving from Secularism and diversity to the Rantings of a Sandmonkey on Why Obama will Fail Sandmonkey begins his argument by declaring that he is happy with Obama and McCain being the nominees of the Republican and the Democratic parties. He writes: I am happy because both men are not...

Obama's ripple effect on the Egyptian blogosphere – Part 1

  July 22, 2008

Politics is not my thing but this was too good to resist. When I came across Wael Nawara's writings I knew that I stumbled on a goldmine. In his post – Too Secular to Win? – Wael asked four tough questions that left his readers wondering: What is the world...

Palestine: Obama in the news

  July 16, 2008

As Obama's visit to the West Bank draws near, Palestinian bloggers are talking - about that and about his recent "star turn" on the cover of The New Yorker. Find out what the Palestinian blogosphere thinks of U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama.