Press Corner

June 28, 2009 Saudi preacher praises U.S. President Barack Obama's speech to the Muslim world

Saudi preacher praises U.S. President Barack Obama's speech to the Muslim world and calls on the Muslims to respond to Obama's speech in kind.

June 28, 2009 A Muslim Perspective on Death of Michael Jackson, and the Worship of Celebrities

Yet we live embedded in a culture where the mass adulation that society pours out on athletes and performing artists approaches, and all too frequently crosses over into, the territory of idolatry.

June 18, 2009 Jimmy Carter: Israel Treats Palestinians Like Animals

Former President Jimmy Carter denounced the deprivations facing Palestinians in Gaza as unique in history, asserting that they are being treated "like animals."

June 18, 2009 Lebanese Shi'ite Politician Ahmad Al-Assad Attacks Iran, States: We Should Invest in Our Interests with The West

"Today, Among Shi'ite Circles, If You Do Not Toe the Line Marked By the Brothers in Hizbullah - Not Only Do They Label You a 'Traitor' and 'Collaborator,' But Also An 'Apostate'"

June 18, 2009 Iran in Turmoil: Conservatives Undermine, Obama Strikes Right Tone

The situation in Iran remains fluid; observers agree that no one knows how the situation will end. In size and scope, the demonstrations on the streets are unprecedented in the 30 year history of the regime.

June 18, 2009 A New Vision for God's Holy Mountain
As the Obama Administration pursues the latest peace initiative in the Mideast amid renewed world hopes, it will ultimately face once again the seemingly intractable issue of the future status of the Temple Mount (Al Haram Al Sharif in Arabic).
June 7, 2009 Anti-Hizbullah Shi'ite Lebanese Movement

Activists from the Shi'ite anti-Hizbullah movement 'Lebanese Identity Union'(1) are reporting recently increasing violent interference with their activities by Hizbullah and Amal activists.

June 7, 2009 Reactions in the Arab World to Obama's Cairo Speech
The day after the June 4, 2009 address to the Muslim world by U.S. President Barack Obama, at Cairo University in Egypt, reactions in the government Saudi, Egyptian and Palestinian press reactions were diverse.
June 4, 2009 Text of Obama's speech in Cairo
Good afternoon. I am honored to be in the timeless city of Cairo and to be hosted by two remarkable institutions. For over a thousand years, Al-Azhar has had stood as a beacon of Islamic learning. And for over a century, Cairo University has been a source of Egypt's advancement. Together, you represent the harmony between tradition and progress.
April 30, 2009 America: a superpower no more
Two American icons, General Electric and Berkshire Hathaway, lost their triple-A credit ratings. Then China, America's largest creditor, called for a new global currency to replace the dollar just weeks after it demanded Washington guarantee the safety of Beijing's nearly $1 trillion debt holdings. And that was just in March.
April 8, 2009 The Doha Summit - A Defeat for the Saudi-Egyptian Camp
The Saudi-Egyptian pressure did prevent an invitation from being extended to Iran's president and to Hamas representatives, who had been invited to the previous Doha summit in January 2009.
April 6, 2009 Obama embraces Muslim world
President Barack Obama sought Monday to make American amends with the Islamic world after eight years of tension, declaring in a speech to the Turkish parliament that he is determined to have a "partnership with the Muslim world."
April 2, 2009 Netanyahu Offers Conciliation, but Not Concessions
Taking over as Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu struck a somewhat conciliatory tone toward the Palestinians in an address Tuesday to Parliament, promising negotiations toward a permanent accord.
April 1, 2009 This Time, Israel should Listen to the Arabs
Unfortunately, the initiative offered by the Arabs does not seem to have any means of practical implementation on the ground, because of Israel
April 1, 2009 Arabs, Israelis, and Underdogs
"Who, a century back, would have imagined Jews making the better soldiers and Arabs the better publicists?"
April 1, 2009 UN: 70% of Palestinian youth oppose violence
Nearly 70 percent of Palestinian young adults believe the use of violence to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is not very helpful, according to a United Nations Development Program (UNDP) study.
March 29, 2009 Syrian Reactions to Initial Contacts with Obama
According to the press, the U.S. has presented Syria with a list of preconditions for improving relations. At a press conference he held in Beirut, Kerry said that Syria must respect Lebanon's independence, advance a solution to the inter-Palestinian conflicts and the conflicts between Hizbullah and the other Lebanese factions, promote the implementation of U.N. Resolution 1701, and change its behavior towards Iraq.
March 26, 2009 Obama: Pro-Israel talk, anti-Israel walk
Barely a month into the presidency of Barack Obama, a profound realization is spreading among the pro-Israel community: we do not have an ally in the White House. The growing threat that Israel and the Jewish People now face demands decisive action to prevent the frightening reality that he may play a leading role in creating.
March 26, 2009 Reactions in the Arab Press to Arrest Warrant Against Sudanese President
The decision by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue an arrest warrant against Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir was widely condemned by Arab officials. However, reactions in the Arab press were mixed.
March 26, 2009 Iran Supreme Leader's Reaction to President Obama's Message
Referring to President Obama's New Year's greeting, Khamenei said that it was not sincere, since even while greeting Iran Obama still accused it of sponsoring terrorism and of seeking to obtain nuclear weapons.
March 26, 2009 Palestinians Who Helped Create Israel
Along with the development of a military force (the Haganah), a modern economic infrastructure, and a democratic polity, this infiltration of Palestinian life ranks as one of Zionism's signal achievements. It meant that while the Zionists could unify and go on the offensive, "Palestinian society was preoccupied with internal battles and was unable to mobilize and unify behind a leadership."
March 11, 2009 The Pope Is Not Welcome in Jerusalem
"Pope Benedict is not welcome in the Holy Land in the present circumstances", - said Archbishop Theodosius of Sebaste, the highest ranking native Palestinian Christian clergyman in Jerusalem, after it was announced in Israel that the head of the Church of Rome will begin his May pilgrimage to the Holy City with obeisance to the Jewish Holocaust Memorial 'Yad Vashem'.
March 9, 2009 Rising Criticism of Child Bride Marriages in Saudi Arabia
The Saudi press has lately been discussing the custom of child bride marriage, especially cases of middle-aged or elderly men taking prepubescent girls for their wives.
March 8, 2009 British MP George Galloway in Gaza Defies International Sanctions against Hamas
"Maybe the American government, the British, and the Israelis don't recognize Ismail Haniya as prime minister of Palestine, but we recognize Ismail Haniya as the prime minister of Palestine.
March 6, 2009 Talking to Syria
What are the risks and opportunities of resuming high-level talks with the Syrians? And what effect might this diplomacy have on Israel, Iran and others in the region?
March 6, 2009 United States of Jordan is best solution to Palestinian issue??????
Senior Israeli defense expert: "U.S. should reassess two-state solution because it won't work and everyone knows it!"
March 5, 2009 For Saudi Liberals, a Ripple of Hope in a Sea of Tradition
The radicals’ popularity began to wane in 2003, when a series of brutal terrorist attacks here killed Saudis as well as foreigners. At the same time, public anger at the intolerance of the cane-wielding religious police has grown, fueled by a younger generation that is more exposed to the outside world.
March 4, 2009 From the start, Bridges TV amounted to a lie.
On the occasion of its launch the television channel "Bridges TV" won the enthusiastic support of Secretary of State Colin Powell. On the ideological level, Bridges TV was a fraud, pretending to be moderate.
March 4, 2009 "Berbers, Where Do You Stand on Palestine?"
Throughout the recent fighting in Gaza, the mainstream North African press was nearly unanimous in its support for the Palestinians and its condemnation of Israel. Some Berber groups, though, made a point of distancing themselves from this mainstream view – for which they were attacked by the Islamist press.
March 4, 2009 The Hamas Charter Is Not Sacred – It Can Be Amended
The London daily Al-Hayat published an article by Palestinian academic and journalist Dr. Khaled Al-Hroub, director of the Cambridge University Arab Media Project, in which he calls on Hamas to amend its charter. Al-Hroub argues that the charter, which is replete with hostility towards the Jews, harms Hamas' image and the Palestinian cause as a whole.
February 16, 2009 "Only Nations Living in the Past Produce Martyrs"
Following are excerpts from interviews with Iraqi MP Iyad Jamal Al-Din. The interviews aired on Al-Jazeera TV on January 30 and February 2, 2009.
February 16, 2009 Keep Our Children from Embracing Terrorist Ideology
In a February 6, 2009 article in the Saudi Al-Riyadh daily, liberal columnist Mamdouh Al-Muhaini wrote that in order to keep their children from growing up to be terrorists, Saudi parents must inculcate in them a culture of tolerance and respect for people of all religions and cultures.

February 16, 2009 Provincial Elections in Iraq: A Blow to Iran
An analysis of the tentative results of the elections suggests that Iran's supporters and proxies in Iraq may have been dealt a serious blow.
January 26, 2009 One-State is the Only Solution
Israelis and Palestinians can put an end to their ongoing conflict by trying to coexist in a unified state, says the leader of Libya.
January 26, 2009 Saudi Arabia's patience is running out
After Israel launched its bloody attack on Gaza, these pleas for optimism and co-operation now seem a distant memory. Unless the new US administration takes forceful steps to prevent any further suffering and slaughter of Palestinians, the peace process, the US-Saudi relationship and the stability of the region are at risk.
January 24, 2009 Israel's bigger battle ahead: its national identity
If a viable Palestinian state does not come to pass in the near future, most agree a single, binational state will emerge. However, Israel already is, if merely in de facto form, just that. One-fifth of Israel's population – 1.4 million citizens and growing – is Palestinian-Arab. They are descendants of 160,000 Arabs, who did not become refugees in 1948-49 and then who had citizenship thrust upon them in the new, Jewish state – unlike some 800,000 others who fled.
January 23, 2009 Divisions in the Arab World Regarding Palestine and Israel
During the recent conflict in Gaza, the divisions between the two camps in the Arab world were reflected in the terminology used by the Arab satellite news channels. Al-Jazeera, which is sponsored by Qatar and is identified with the Hamas-Iran-Syria axis, used the term "martyr" ("shahid") for those killed in Gaza; in contrast, Al-Arabiya TV, which is Saudi-owned, refrained from using this term.
January 11, 2009 Israel Angry at Catholic Church likening Gaza to Nazi death camp
Israel said Saturday it was shocked and distressed by a senior Vatican cardinal's likening of Gaza under Israel's military offensive to a concentration camp.
January 11, 2009 U.S. Rejected Aid for Israeli Raid on Iranian Nuclear Site
President Bush deflected a secret request by Israel last year for specialized bunker-busting bombs it wanted for an attack on Iran's main nuclear complex and told the Israelis that he had authorized new covert action intended to sabotage Iran's suspected effort to develop nuclear weapons, according to senior American and foreign officials.
January 10, 2009 Israel/Palestine Conflict May Lead to Nuclear War
In the latest fighting, Israel has bombed the HAMAS controlled city of Gaza for the stated reason of neutralizing HAMAS and stopping them from firing rockets into Southern Israel. As of the date of this article, approximately 800 Palestinians and 10 Israelis have been killed.
January 9, 2009 An Unnecessary War
Palestinian leaders from Gaza were noncommittal on all issues, claiming that rockets were the only way to respond to their imprisonment and to dramatize their humanitarian plight. The top Hamas leaders in Damascus, however, agreed to consider a cease-fire in Gaza only, provided Israel would not attack Gaza and would permit normal humanitarian supplies to be delivered to Palestinian citizens.
January 9, 2009 Gandhi on Jews & Middle-East
My sympathies are all with the Jews. I have known them intimately in South Africa. Some of them became life-long companions. Through these friends I came to learn much of their age-long persecution. They have been the untouchables of Christianity. The parallel between their treatment by Christians and the treatment of untouchables by Hindus is very close. Religious sanction has been invoked in both cases for the justification of the inhuman treatment meted out to them. Apart from the friendships, therefore, there is the more common universal reason for my sympathy for the Jews.
January 9, 2009 Israel/Palestine Conflict May Lead to Regional War
Surprise, surprise, once again the Palestinian/Israeli conflict spirals out of control. However, this particular battle has produced circumstantial evidence that the conflict has become more dangerous than ever before. Unless a permanent solution is found soon, the violence may increase in severity until the conflict ends tragically.
December 30, 2008 Israel/Palestine and Gaza
Once again the Palestinian/Israeli conflict spirals out of control and unless a permanent solution is found the violence will continue to increase in severity until the conflict ends tragically.
December 18, 2008 "It's Not Enough for Muslims to be Revolted by Terror,"
"Since the evil attacks of September 11, moderate Muslims dread the news of yet another 'holy attack' in which the name of their religion – which means peace – is used as an excuse for bloodthirsty savagery.
December 18, 2008 Muslims can learn from Catholic Church
Egyptian human rights activist posted an article in which he appealed to Muslims worldwide to learn openness from the Catholic Church in France. He said that Muslims should emulate France's attitude towards its Muslims in their own treatment of minorities in Muslim countries.
December 18, 2008 Secularism Will Triumph in the Arab World
On May 15, 2008, the liberal Arab website Aafaq.org published an interview with prominent Jordanian-liberal author Dr. Nabulsi who discussed the meaning of secularism and its importance to the Arab world.
December 18, 2008 Calls in Iran to Topple Egyptian, Saudi Regimes
Iran's attacks and accusations against Egypt and Saudi Arabia have recently intensified. In early December, Iran's leading conservative government dailies accused the Egyptian and Saudi regimes of treason, and called on their peoples to topple their regimes.
December 18, 2008 Lebanese Sunni Cleric Attacks Iran and Hizbullah, States
"I wish terms like 'terrorism' and 'fundamentalism' would not be used in a hostile manner with regard to Muslims. We
December 10, 2008 US Muslims Await Obama's Change
"There would be no revolutionary change in either domestic or in foreign policies which the Americans, especially the Muslims, expected of him," Kamal Nawash, President the Free Muslims Coalition Against Terrorism, told IOL.
November 26, 2008 Minister Condemned extremism in Saudi Arabia and called for eradication.
Saudi Interior Minister Appeals to Religious and Education Establishments to Fight Ideological Extremism in the Country
November 22, 2008 Palestinian security gets a feminine touch
Using female police officers in the field is part of the latest PA effort to help President Mahmoud Abbas better control the West Bank and Hamas. Although there's also been an overall expansion of the police force, security officials see women as key to a new, hearts-and-minds strategy.
November 20, 2008 Impact of Low Oil Prices on Arabs
After a hefty spike in oil prices in the preceding year, reaching as high as $147 a barrel in July 2008, prices plummeted in the subsequent four months to below $55
November 20, 2008 Who killed Gen Alvi in Pakistan?
The authorities investigating the murder of Maj-Gen (retd) Amir Faisal Alvi, former General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the elite Special Services Group (SSG), by two unidentified gunmen in Rawalpindi do not rule out the possibility of involvement of some pro-Taliban militants in the assassination.
November 17, 2008 Saudi Arabia's funding deserves reciprocity
The participation of Saudi Arabia in the G20 may have been viewed in the past with a certain scepticism. There remains a perception among western policymakers that Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states are sources of funds rather than agenda setters.
November 13, 2008 Israeli President directly addressed Saudi Arabian King
Israeli President Shimon Peres directly addressed Saudi Arabian King Abdullah from the podium of the United Nations General Assembly today, praising the Arab leader's appeal for religious tolerance and his ideas for Middle East peace.
November 5, 2008 Initial Arab Media Reactions to Obama's Election
Initial reactions in the Arab world to the outcome of the U.S. presidential election focused on several aspects. While some writers discussed which candidate would be better for the Arabs, others compared the democratic process in the U.S. with the situation in the Arab world, where such turnover in government is impossible.
October 30, 2008 Islamists Attempt to Impose Their Agenda on Kuwaiti Society; Reformists Fight Back
the Kuwaiti parliament reinstated the Committee for the Study of Negative and Alien Phenomena in Kuwaiti Society. The goals of the committee, whose members are mostly Salafi MPs, is to study "alien practices and other negative phenomena that are harmful to Kuwaiti society,"
October 30, 2008 Oil and Iran
The sharp decline in oil prices has provided the Saudis with an opportunity to inflict pain on Iran and constrain its political ambitions for regional hegemony by keeping oil production high and oil prices down.
October 22, 2008 Christians and Jews Under Islam
This article will show that, for centuries, perhaps a millennium, during which Islam dominated the area, conflict between Jews, Christians and Muslims was the exception, not the norm.
October 21, 2008 Why Barak is Winning?
Recall that Obama gained credibility by opposing a war that turned into the most expensive military adventure in America history. It is no secret that most of the international community, including most of our allies, considered the Iraq war "unjustified."
October 17, 2008 U.S. policies may have contributed to Iran revolution
A new report based on previously classified documents suggests that the Nixon and Ford administrations created conditions that helped destabilize Iran in the late 1970s and contributed to the country's Islamic Revolution.
October 9, 2008 Syria reaches out for growth
Sitting in his plush new office in an up-market neighborhood of Damascus, deputy prime minister for economic affairs Abdullah Dardari - the man tipped to be named Syria's next prime minister - is adamant his country is beginning to move with the times.
October 7, 2008 Avoiding economic terrorism
Western Christians are unaware that the Qur'an honors Jesus as a "Spirit of God," "the Messiah," "Word of God," the "Word of truth," supernaturally conceived and sinless. The Qur'an also states that Jesus had power to heal the sick, raise the dead, and one day will judge the world of its sin. In other words, perhaps the Christian West and the Muslim East are not the bitter enemies often described but more like feuding cousins who have forgotten that they are kin. So what can be done?
October 5, 2008 SYRIA: Al Qaeda mastermind said to be captured
According to a report in the Arab-language Syrian newspaper Al Liwaa, Syrian officials captured the leader of the Al Qaeda-linked militant group Fatah al Islam two months ago in Syria.
October 5, 2008 The Man in the Middle
King Hussein of Jordan (1935-99)was the great survivor of Middle East politics. For almost half a century until his death in 1999 he balanced delicately between the Arab world, Israel and the United States.
October 2, 2008 The Rise of Fundamentalism Led Me to Turn from Literary Criticism to Criticism of the Arab-Islamic Heritage
Just as secularism emerged in Europe as a remedy to Protestant-Catholic sectarianism, so it is needed in the Arab world to overcome sectarian divisions and pave the way for a democratic future.
October 1, 2008 President Bush sends holiday greeting to Muslims
I send greetings to Muslims everywhere celebrating the Festival of Breaking the Fast.
September 30, 2008 Israel's elections--Kadima charts uncertain course
Across Israel on the eve of the recent primary election likely to decide the next prime minister, most Israelis shared the same feeling: apathy.
September 30, 2008 Iraqi Kurds Speak Out Against Separatism
Several Kurdish writers have warned of the dangers of unilaterally declaring an independent Kurdish state in Iraq.
September 27, 2008 Car bomb kills 17 in Syrian capital
A car bomb went off near a security complex in the Syrian capital of Damascus on Saturday, killing 17 people and injuring 14 others in the deadliest attack to strike the country in more than a decade, the Syrian government announced.
September 22, 2008 Bush And Pakistan
George W. Bush has one last opportunity to anchor his faltering war on terror in a more sustainable framework when he meets the leaders of Afghanistan, Pakistan and India this week.
September 7, 2008 Mosab Hassan Yousef, son of Hamas leader, becomes a Christian
The son of one of the most revered leaders of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas has renounced his religion to move to America and become an evangelical Christian.
August 31, 2008 Muslim Land Joins Ranks of Tigers
When an Islamist-leaning political party took charge of Turkey six years ago, this vibrant Mediterranean resort town feared a bumpy ride for a local economy driven in part by booze and bikinis.
August 24, 2008 The Price of Oil
Most politicians and writers, who comment on the recent rise in the price of oil, its causes, and implications, simply have no clue what they are talking about. The world is not facing an oil crisis and the price of oil is not exclusively determined by OPEC or any other organization or cartel.
August 20, 2008 Reactions in the Iraqi Press to the U.S.-Iraq Strategic Agreement
Leaked information regarding the agreement sparked wide-scale protest in Iraq, mainly on the grounds that it would severely harm Iraqi sovereignty and perpetuate "occupation."
August 20, 2008 Iran Threatens to Close Strait of Hormuz If Attacked
Following recent threats by Iranian government elites,(1) in the past several days senior Iranian officials have emphasized that if it is attacked, Iran intends to close the Strait of Hormuz, thereby impeding the export of oil from the Gulf to the rest of the world.
August 20, 2008 Suicide bomber kills 43 in Algeria
A suicide attack Tuesday on a police school killed 43 people and wounded 38, authorities said as Algeria reeled from its worst militant assault this year.
August 12, 2008 Saudis Praise Spain
Following Saudi-Sponsored Madrid International Interfaith Conference, Saudis Praise Spain: "Madrid Speaks Arabic"
July 23, 2008 Senior Saudi Cleric: Bin Laden "Is a Promoter of Evil and Depravity"; Al-Zawahiri Is a "Deviant"
"These deviants, who were not tolerated in their [own] countries, went to Iraq and to other countries with the purpose of destroying the [Saudi] kingdom. Whoever cooperates with these [terrorists] or responds to their appeals is regarded as a criminal.
July 18, 2008 Syria's first lady is the more glamorous, modern face of the nation
What would it take to distract the international paparazzi from France's first lady? The answer was Asma al-Assad, the wife of the Syrian President,
July 17, 2008 Saudi King Denounces Extremism, Touts Islam's 'Moderation and Tolerance'
In a bid to counter Iran's influence and establish himself in the eyes of the West as the dominant figure in the Muslim world, Abdullah of Saudi Arabia is here to preach that "Islam is a religion of moderation and tolerance" to a group of bishops, rabbis, swamis, and other religious leaders.
July 17, 2008 Saudi king appeals for tolerance
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has called on followers of the world's main religions to turn away from extremism and embrace a spirit of reconciliation.
July 17, 2008 Arab Country Appoints Jewish woman as US Ambassador
This is a remarkable example of traditional Arab tolerance and a sign that hostile relations between Jews and Arabs are beginning to subside. Throughout the last 1400 years Jews have had better relations with Muslims and Arabs than any other part of the world where Jews lived.
July 16, 2008 Science in Muslim countries today
With more than a trillion dollars in cash and a population of over a billion people the Muslim world today should be poised for a remarkable scientific explosion.
July 9, 2008 The Iran-Syria Alliance: The Economic Dimension
An examination of Syrian-Iranian economic relations reveals that, beyond their propaganda value, these relations are of small benefit to Syria and of negligible benefit to Iran.
July 8, 2008 Exciting Event on Israel-Palestine
You are cordially invited to participate in an exciting event that brings together Israelis, Palestinians, American Jews and American Arabs to debate solutions to the Palestinian/Israeli conflict.
July 4, 2008 Judeo-Christian "Rights of Liberty" and Muslim "Rights of Justice
As you consider the arguments comparing and roughly equating "liberty" and "justice" which are made by this essay, keep in mind the wording of the American Pledge of Allegiance: "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands -- one Nation, under God, with LIBERTY and JUSTICE for all."
June 25, 2008 Saudi Arabia arrests 701 terrorism suspects
Saudi Arabia has detained 701 suspects of different nationalities in recent months for involvement in terrorist activities, an official source at the interior ministry said on Wednesday.
June 19, 2008 Interview with Syrian President Assad about Israel, Barak...& peace
In a recent interview with the English-language Indian daily The Hindu, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad discussed a variety of foreign and domestic issues.
June 15, 2008 Islamic clerics converged on the Indian capital for the Anti-Terrorism and Global Peace Conference
Thousands of Islamic clerics from across India converged in the Indian capital for the Anti-Terrorism and Global Peace Conference, held by the Assembly of Indian Clerics, a countrywide network of Islamic scholars.
June 7, 2008 It's Muslims who Hurt Islam
The recent re-publication of a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad by the Danish press and release of Dutch MP Geert Wilders' film "Fitna" have precipitated a wave of Muslim protest, some of it violent, throughout the world.
June 7, 2008 It's Time to Talk to Syria
The recent announcement of peace negotiations between Israel and Syria through Turkey, and the agreement between the Lebanese factions in Qatar – both apparently without meaningful U.S. involvement – should serve as a wake-up call that our policy of nonengagement has isolated us more than the Syrians.
June 6, 2008 Dubai Rides the Oil Boom
It was the kind of publicity stunt upon which this desert boomtown was built. Dubai's iconic sail-shaped Burj Al Arab hotel recently began offering what it billed as the world's most expensive cocktail. Well-heeled patrons could order a glass of 55-year-old Macallan single-malt Scotch, with custom-made bitters and ice cubes made from water near the Scottish distillery, served in an 18-carat gold Baccarat tumbler. All for just $7,440 a pop.
June 4, 2008 The Jihadists' Quest for Religious Legitimacy
In recent years, the Salafi movement has seen the emergence of a new conception of, and basis for, religious authority.
April 25, 2008 Draft Agreement between Taliban Commander and the Pakistani Government
Yousuf Raza Gilani of the Pakistan People's Party was sworn in as prime minister of Pakistan. His government is advocating dialogue with the Taliban, as is the secular government of the North West Frontier Province.
April 24, 2008 implementing shari'a law in Britain constituted a war against the Enlightenment
Libyan liberal thinker Muhammad Al-Houni writes that the statements by Archbishop Rowan Williams on implementing shari'a law in Britain constituted dangerous encouragement to fundamentalists in their war against the Enlightenment.
April 24, 2008 Arab and Palestinian press on HAMAS
Following the recent escalation in the Hamas-Israel conflict, Arab officials and columnists have been criticizing Hamas in the Arab and Palestinian press, blaming it for the escalation of violence and for the Gaza residents' suffering.
April 24, 2008 President Bush's March 27th assessment of the war in Iraq
Dr Walid Phares is the author of a new policy briefing addressing President Bush's March 27th assessment of the war in Iraq.
April 24, 2008 High oil price might not be a bad thing
Oil is in blow-off territory and a reaction in the price is inevitable, probably quite soon. But that does not mean that we will return to cheap oil in our lifetimes.
March 31, 2008 Reverse Radicalism
Why do people join terrorist groups?
March 31, 2008 Gaddafi's love-hate relationship with Islamists
The LIFG was established with the purpose of overthrowing Col. Mu'ammar Gaddafi's regime and recreating Libya as an Islamic state
March 31, 2008 Saudi Arabia: Muslim leaders welcome royal call for interfaith-dialogue
The Saudi proposal for dialogue between Muslims, Christians and Jews is the first for a country that has no official ties with Israel and bans non-Muslim religious services and symbols.
March 31, 2008 A Saudi initiative to be encouraged
The launching of an interfaith dialogue by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia is a remarkable development that should be warmly welcomed by the Jewish people.
March 31, 2008 Pakistani PM vows to fight terror
Pakistan's new Prime Minister, Yusuf Raza Gillani, has told parliament in Islamabad that his top priority will be the fight against terrorism.
March 31, 2008 Lifting Ban on Women Driving Will Bring Economic Windfall
"Overall, lifting of the women driving ban in Saudi Arabia is expected to have a major effect on the local economy in three different ways," said Dr. John Sfakianakis, chief economist at the Saudi British Bank (SABB) in Riyadh.
March 23, 2008 First Catholic church for Saudi Arabia
Negotiations are underway to build the first Catholic church in Saudi Arabia with King Abdullah lending his support for its construction.
March 19, 2008 Interview with Al-Qaeda commander in northern Iraq
Al-Qaeda Commander in Northern Iraq: We Are in Dire Straits
March 19, 2008 Arab society and culture were "regressing, not progressing"
Arabs "are living in a world of the supernatural," not today's world of "logic," and that the "so-called religious awakening" had turned everything upside down.
March 7, 2008 Lessons for American Muslims from the Conviction of Abujihaad
The conviction of Hassan Abujihaad should serve as a warning sign to the lethality and danger to our security from political Islam (Islamism).
March 5, 2008 Obama and Carter and Israel
Mortimer B. Zuckerman, Editor of US News & World Report and a supporter of Israel stated that he did not yet know who among the three leading presidential candidates, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain, is best for Israel.
March 4, 2008 Arab construction & Economic boom - No Limit in Sight
The world's tallest building, biggest mall, largest airport, largest arch bridge - the projects in the $1-trillion building boom in the Gulf are all about scale, about extreme engineering and about architecture.
March 3, 2008 Saudi Arabia: Nervously Watching Pakistan
No country in the world, except maybe India, is more concerned with the outcome of the political crisis that is gripping Pakistan than Saudi Arabia.
March 2, 2008 In Search for Peace, a Shrinking White House Role
As Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice heads back to the Middle East this week, three months after Bush hosted a peace conference bringing together Israelis and Arabs in Annapolis, prospects for peace have shifted dramatically.
February 29, 2008 Saudi Arabia's Anti-Terror Campaign
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has been making intense efforts to fight both terrorism and its religious and ideological underpinnings.
February 29, 2008 Palestinians mull a majority
New population data have some Palestinians contemplating an unorthodox formula for Middle East peace - a single democratic nation of Arabs and Jews, in which Palestinians would be the majority.
February 28, 2008 Arab League Backing Off Two-State Solution?
Irked by the slow rate of progress in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, major Arab players are threatening to withdraw their offer to normalize ties with Israel once a Palestinian state is established.
February 26, 2008 Christians to Welcome Qatar's First Christian Church
The construction of a church in this tiny, oil-rich, conservative, Islamic state has been a historical landmark for the country's diverse Christian population
February 22, 2008 Slouching Toward Sharia
Our religious laws should be enacted by choice and choice alone in their whole and in their parts – not as a system one chooses to enter or buck against.
February 15, 2008 Calls mount for time-limit on foreign workers in Gulf of Arabia
Support is growing for time-limits on the residency of the millions of expatriates living in the Gulf, seen by some of the region's governments and nationals as posing a demographic threat
February 15, 2008 Decline and Fall of Western Civilization
The European continent, the core of Western civilization is collapsing. European birth rates have fallen below replacement rates, populations are dwindling and slowly being displaced by large foreign Muslim populations. Wedded to socialism Europe faces a generation in which the elderly and their social services will vastly outnumber a far smaller population of youth leading to economic collapse.
February 11, 2008 Nuclear Weapons and Saudi Strategy
January 29, 2008 STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS
Seven years have passed since I first stood before you at this rostrum. In that time, our country has been tested in ways none of us could have imagined. We have faced hard decisions about peace and war, rising competition in the world economy, and the health and welfare of our citizens.
January 29, 2008 Hamas Fails to Understand that the Role of a Leadership Is to Protect the People
Al-Sharq Al-Awsat Editor: Hamas Fails to Understand that the Role of a Leadership Is to Protect the People and Guarantee Their Security and Livelihood
January 28, 2008 Terrorism's Christian Godfather
He was a Greek Orthodox Christian, who sang in his church choir as a boy back in the Palestinian town of Lydda. Habash's life tells us a lot about the long Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which seems as intractable as ever, and prompts reflection on the Middle East's seemingly unstoppable whirlwind of violence.
January 27, 2008 George Habash, a Christian and Palestinian Tactician, Dies at 82
"When we hijack a plane it has more effect than if we kill a hundred Israelis in battle," "For decades, world public opinion has been neither for nor against the Palestinians. It simply ignored us. At least the world is talking about us now."
January 27, 2008 A Visit With George Habash: Still the Prophet of Arab Nationalism
Dr. Habash, founder of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which carried out numerous attacks against Israeli targets as well as civil aircraft hijackings, received me in his apartment, attractively decorated with mementos of Palestine.
January 26, 2008 Christian Palestinian leader, George Habash dies in Amman
George Habash, founder of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) died in the Jordanian capital at the age of 82.
January 25, 2008 Saudi Arabia to lift ban on women drivers
Saudi Arabia is to lift its ban on women drivers in an attempt to stem a rising suffragette-style movement in the deeply conservative state.
January 24, 2008 Crowds of Gazans streamed into Egypt after the border fence was breached.
Crowds of Gazans streamed into Egypt after the border fence was breached. It was part of a Hamas pressure campaign to open the Rafah Crossing in contravention of agreements Egypt is a party to.
January 23, 2008 Any attack by Israel would also bring retaliation by Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hizbullah(2).
Following reports on Israel's January 17, 2008 test of the Jericho III missile, which has a range of 4,500 km, the Iranian website Tabnak wrote that the missile's addition to Israel's arsenal does not change the balance of power between Israel and Iran.
January 23, 2008 "The Lebanon War… Announced the Birth of a New Era in the Region"
On January 9, 2008, the editor of the Arab liberal website Aafaq, Omran Salman, published an article analyzing recent developments in the Middle East through the prism of the U.S.-Iran conflict and arguing that Iranian hegemony over the region was becoming a reality.
January 22, 2008 "Bush a Liar, Cheat, Murderer and... Expert in Barbaric State Terrorism"
The recent visit by U.S. President Bush to the Gulf evoked harsh reactions from Qatari columnists, who maligned Bush personally and castigated him over his policy.
January 22, 2008 Saudi Arabia in Transition
The project is Saudi Arabia's boldest bet yet that this oil-rich kingdom can transform itself into an industrial powerhouse. The plant is part of a $500 billion investment program to build new cities, create millions of jobs and diversify the economy away from petroleum exports over the next two decades.
January 22, 2008 A New Arms Race in the Gulf?
The Joint Direct Attack Munition is a kit that, when added to the back end of a 500- or 2,000-pound "dumb" bomb, turns it into a lethal, all-weather "smart" weapon.
January 18, 2008 Abu Dhabi: East Leans West
Each month, 25,000 people from around the globe arrive in the United Arab Emirates, seeking jobs, contracts, and political stability.
January 17, 2008 Two Testimonies by Young Men Who Went to Wage Jihad in Iraq
Two testimonies by young men who went to Iraq to wage jihad were published recently.
January 17, 2008 Pakistanis Want Larger Role for Both Islam and Democracy
An in-depth survey of Pakistani public opinion reveals majority support for a moderate and democratic Islamic state, though a small but significant minority shows sympathy for Islamist militant groups.
January 17, 2008 Egyptian Liberal Hisham Al-Tukhi:"I Have a Dream"
In an article published recently on the Arab liberal websites, Egyptian liberal Hisham Al-Tukhi adapted Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream" speech, urging full civil rights and equality for Egyptian minorities.
January 17, 2008 Syrian Government Officials Call on Arab Countries to Deepen Relations with Iran
Against the backdrop of President Bush's Middle East visit high-ranking Syrian government officials called on Arab countries to deepen relations and cooperation with Iran.
January 12, 2008 US President prays in Bethlehem
US President George W. Bush prayed at the traditional birthplace of Jesus on Thursday, in a Bethlehem swamped by security forces, his first stop on a pilgrimage to some of Christianity's holiest sites.
December 29, 2007 Call to free Iraq's Tariq Aziz
The spiritual leader of Iraq's Chaldean Christian community has called on US forces to release Saddam Hussein's ex-deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz.
December 29, 2007 US court overturns $156 million award in terrorism suit against Islamic charities
A United States federal appeals court on Friday overturned a $156 million award against US-based Muslim activists for their involvement in the
December 29, 2007 Who killed Benazir Bhutto?
Bhutto was an outspoken critic of Al Qaeda and other extremist Islamist groups. Consequently, Al Qaeda and other Islamist groups hated her for her
December 27, 2007 Profile: Benazir Bhutto
Upon ending eight years of self-imposed exile Benzair Bhutto described herself as "emotionally overwhelmed" as hundreds of thousands of supporters
December 27, 2007 Pakistan's Bhutto assassinated at rally
Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated Thursday in a suicide attack that also killed at least 20 others at a campaign rally
December 26, 2007 Russia to supply Iran with new air defense system, defense minister says
Russia is to supply Iran with new S-300 air defense systems, Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said Wednesday, a sign of growing military
December 17, 2007 This Christmas Happy Hanukkah and a prosperous Eid
Abraham is also the patriarch of Christianity and Judaism which makes this holiday season especially important for Muslims as it provides them
December 16, 2007 Russia Helps Its Muslims Take the Journey to Mecca
Barred by the Soviets for decades from carrying out Islam's most sacred rite, such pilgrims were among the tens of thousands of Russian Muslims
December 7, 2007 Bin Laden Attempting to Strip U.S. Allies from Anti-Terrorism Coalition
Bin Laden asked, "Why do your governments ally themselves to the criminal gang in the White House against the Muslims? Why did your governments ally
December 7, 2007 Gaddafi, back in Europe, slams "dictatorship" at UN
Speaking at Lisbon University on his first ever official visit to Portugal, Gaddafi also criticised the fact that only a few select countries in the
December 7, 2007 Remarks on Violent Radicalization & Homegrown Terrorism
Mr. Speaker, I regret that I was unavoidably out of town on October 23, 2007, when a vote was taken on HR 1955
December 7, 2007 Britain unveils plans for new terrorism powers
Britain unveiled plans on Thursday for controversial new powers to extend the time police can hold terrorism suspects without charge
December 7, 2007 Jury in terrorism trial is deadlocked
A federal jury reported Thursday that it was deadlocked over whether to convict seven South Florida men accused of plotting terrorist attacks
November 29, 2007 Saudi oil plants targeted in missile plot
Officials said there were plans to attack oil industry targets and preparations were being made to smuggle missiles into the country.
September 15, 2007 A Veneer of Moderation
Federal prosecution is exposing the hidden agenda of some mainstream Muslim groups
September 12, 2007 Last Chance for Iraq
Iraqi forces' inability to takeover security operations may be the only leverage the United States has to facilitate reconciliation and a political solution between the parties in Iraq.
August 26, 2007 Can Americans Be Convinced Islam Isn't the Black Sheep of Religions?
Bear in mind that the number of Muslims who don't know that a fatwa isn't binding is matched by the number who think bin Laden is a religious scholar.
June 24, 2005 Speech by Kamal Nawash on Fighting Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims
FMC President Kamal Nawash represented the U.S. before the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in the session on combating intolerance against Muslims.