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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Slaveâ€, “Who Killed Obama?â€,“Jews Against Obama†and “Obama=Hitler.†John Liebhardt brings us the latest buzz from the blogosphere.
Palestine: Left behind by Obama
As US presidential hopeful Barack Obama wraps up a tour of Israel and Palestine, newspaper headlines all over the world are fixated on the Senator's attention to Israel...and lack of attention to Palestine's struggle.
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 as for the Lebanese government, the parliament’s speaker and the democratic system in the country. Rice last visited Lebanon during...
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 rejected,” while Saeb Erekat, an Abbas aide, said that Palestinian negotiators would continue to insist upon East Jerusalem as the...
Turkey, anti-Americanism and Obama
Michael Rubin’s WSJ op-ed on why the US should support the removal of Turkish PM Tayyip Erdogan is bothersome. Having followed Turkey for the last two years somewhat closely (I make a conscious effort to listen to Turks in Boston and to look at Turkish newspapers and websites in my...
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.
