Stories Israel

Barack Obama's Muslim Outreach Coordinator Resigns

Mazen Asbahi, the attorney who had volunteered as Barack Obama's outreach coordinator to Muslim and Arab-Americans, has resigned after accusations of ties to Jamal Said, an imam at a fundamentalist mosque in Illinois. Asbahi briefly sat on the board of Allied Assets Advisors Fund with Said in 2000. Bloggers from the Middle East react in this post from Jillian York.

August 8, 2008

Israel: Stories and Personal Opinions on Obama's Visit

Obama's recent visit to Israel was certainly a hot topic across Israeli media, which acknowledges the Democratic candidate for taking all necessary steps to mark his stance - clearly showing that he will continue to be a close friend and ally to Israel. Gilad Lotan reports on the latest buzz from the Israeli blogosphere.

August 5, 2008

Israel: Much Ado Over a Prayer

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.

July 31, 2008

Palestine: Like Obama, Like Abbas

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.

July 31, 2008

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

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.

July 29, 2008

Lebanon: Condoleezza Rice's Surprise Visit

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made an unannounced, five-hour visit to Lebanon on Monday, June 16. She declared her government’s support for the newly elected Lebanese president, as well...

June 19, 2008

Palestine: Obama on Jerusalem as Undivided

Barack Obama's pledge on June 11th to AIPAC that Jerusalem should be Israel's undivided capital has angered Palestinian officials. President Mahmoud Abbas made a statement that Obama's pledge is “totally...

June 16, 2008

Africa: “Obama We Believe in You!”

Reactions are continuing to pour in from bloggers around the world on Barack Obama's success in clinching the Democratic Party's presidential nomination in the race to the White House. John Liebhardt sums up some of the reactions from Africa.

June 10, 2008