March 25 2005

For Lebanon…

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“I entrust this dear country, Lebanon, and its good people to God, and I express, from all my heart, my thanks and my gratitude to all those who cooperated with me the last period”… Rafik Al Hariri

40 days ago, the Arab world lost one of its greatest figures, yes the Arab world, not only Lebanon, the loss of Rafik Al Hariri broke the hearts of all those who knew him, in Lebanon, and outside it.

I really find myself speechless everytime I wish to write what I feel concerning this great tragedy, this awful crime, this brutal assassination…

But one thing I can always say, and will always say: Rafik Al Hariri will always be alive in our hearts with his good deeds and his devotion to his country Lebanon and his faith in the Arab world.

God bless Lebanon and the Lebanese people, and may God protect them from any bad incidents.

May his soul rest in peace… Inna Lillah Wa Inna Ilayhi Raji’oun…

Links of notice: For Lebanon, and Hariri.org.

  • Related: The Truth… For Lebanon
  • March 23 2005

    Palestine Wins Saddest Photo Prize

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    Palestine won the prize for the saddest photo in the BBC “Sadness and Joy” photography contest.
    The photo captured by the Palestinian TV producer Abdul-Rahman Al-Humran, shows three young girls weeping in sorrow for their brother, who was shot dead by Israeli soldiers in the city of Rafah in Gaza, won the first place in the competition.
    The winning photo was published in six different languages on the BBC websites.

    [Via: PalestineBlogs, and Sabbah’s Blog]

    March 22 2005

    Launch Of New Radio Stations in Amman

    After the creation of the Audiovisual Commission (AVC) in 2002 and introduction of the Audio Visual Media Law, which eliminated public sector domination of the radio and TV industry, opening the door for private entrepreneurs, three new radio stations got their license and will soon start broadcasting in the Amman area, joining the Kingdom’s five public and private FM stations already on the air.

    AVC Director General signed three agreements granting the companies licence to start broadcasting on the FM frequency.
    The first agreement, was signed with the owner of AmmanNet, Daoud Kuttab. The station will be focusing on local issues and community affairs including social, municipal, cultural, and sports issues in the capital.
    The station, will not broadcast political programmes or news, he added.

    The second agreement was signed with Arab Media Network Company Director Tareq Abu Lughod, licensing the company’s radio station, Mazaj, which started experimental transmission yesterday. Sawt Al Ghad, the third new FM station, owned by the Jordan International Company for Transmission, started experimental transmission a week ago.

    Source: Jordan Times

    March 16 2005

    Remembr Rachel Corrie

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    Just like today, March 16th, 2003, the 23 year old American Pro-Palestinian Activist Rachel Corrie was brutally killed by two Israeli soldiers while trying to block an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) bulldozer from demolishing a Palestinian house.

    THIS IS HOW THEY KILLED HER!

    I guess from a quick look at the pics, one can easily know that when IDF claim they didn’t see Rachel, it’s nothing but a big fat lie. She was there, in front of them, wearing a very bright orange jacket, SHOUTING OUT LOUD with a loudspeaker to identify herself as a peace activist, so even if none of the two heartless soldiers saw her, they could’ve at least heard her or at least saw the other 4 activists around her.

    Now the family of Rachel is suing the State of Israel and the IDF for damages in the Haifa District Court.

    All I can say is, may God be with her family, and the families of all who lose their bright innocent children who wanted nothing but justice…

  • Related: For Rachel, Calling to vote for Rachel Corrie Rebuilding Campaign in Gaza.
  • March 15 2005

    Illegal Settlements Continue

    Construction on Settlements outposts in some locations in the West Bank continues despite the latest report by attorney Talia Sasson on government involvement in building and funding “unauthorized” outposts. The report basically demands the government to dismantle all outposts, those prior to and after March 2001 and cease any other channeling of funds for further outposts.
    Sasson presented the ministers with her report’s main conclusions showing contradiction between words and actions, saying, “the government spoke in two voices on the issue of the outposts. The government must take into its hands responsibility for what is happening in the outposts in the territories and not sit on the sidelines watching as the settlers do whatever they want, without anyone stopping them.”
    Sasson said there is no legal difference between the outposts erected before and after March 2001, totaling 95, with 71 before and 24 after that date.
    “They are all illegal,” she said. “It is important to emphasize that it’s not merely to evacuate the outposts but to cease the entire procedure of budgeting and transferring state funds to the outposts.”

    According to the Israeli Administration in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, 65 files on “unauthorized” construction adjacent to settlements have been opened in recent months. Five buildings have been demolished in illegal outposts, three of them by settlers.
    Source: imemc news

    On this subject, yesterday I was one of many who got the following message, and I thought I’d share it here:

    “SEND OUR PREWRITTEN LETTER NOW OR, WRITE YOUR OWN:
    http://www.cflweb.org/ congress_m…ress_merge_.htm
    *********************************
    Citizens for Fair Legislation
    For Immediate Release
    March 14, 2005
    ********************************
    CFL ALERT: ASK YOUR REPRESENTATIVES FOR GUARANTEES THAT U.S. WELFARE TO ISRAEL WILL NOT BE SPENT ON FUNDING ILLEGAL SETTLEMENT ACTIVITY.
    Israeli attorney, Talia Sasson has written a damning report about the financing of illegal settlements in the West Bank and Gaza. The report recommends that criminal investigations take place against several members of the government who acted as agents of the settlers, not the Israeli government. Accused members of the Israeli government are claiming that knowledge of illegal settlement activity went all the way to the top and that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon approved and initiated many of the projects to build and sustain illegal settlements. Please take a moment to send our letter or write your own to your representatives and ask that they demand accountability from the Israeli government. Tell them that American tax payer money not be spent on criminal settlement activity in the West Bank and Gaza.”

    March 14 2005

    Lesson Of The Day:

    “Some people believe that a happy life creates an emotion, which equals that of a sad life, since the happy life is horrible to lose, and the sad one is painful to bear…”university friends.

    Category: General | LEAVE A COMMENT
    March 7 2005

    Arabic Bread

    Dear fellow bloggers, I would like to proudly announce my success in achieving my nr.1 challenge away from the Middle East: Making Arabic Bread!
    YIPPIEEEEEEE!

    In Tunisia there are three kinds of bread used: baguette (French bread, which is their main used bread) and tabouna bread (which is somehow like Egyptian bread, a bit thicker) and Mlewi bread(kind of between Iranian bread and kmaj bread). They’re all great, very tasty, and I love them, but when I want to eat Middle Eastern food, the whole taste changes if the bread is not the normal fluffy Arabic bread.
    I looked for places that sell Middle Eastern food, and found around 4 restaurants (all Lebanese) that sell that bread. Problem is it’s so damn expensive.
    And since I love cooking, and adore homemade stuff, I decided to try baking my own Arabic bread at home. I knew it might end up as a total failure that could embarrass me and shock my husband, but still, I took the risk and baked it anyway.
    It took me around 4 hours to have the dough perfectly prepared! But I’m telling you, it was worth every second of it. I enjoyed every bit of making it, and while baking, I sat in front of the oven just to make sure I wont miss watching the bread circles rise and puff up 🙂
    The result: it was SO YUMMY!!! Just like the one I know in Jordan. Ah! I could eat and eat and eat nonstop!
    I’m so happy…

    Now my next challenge is: homemade labaneh! A creamy mixture between yogurt and cottage cheese. I know how to make laban (yogurt) and I made it here in Tunisia, but never tried to make labaneh, this weekend hopefully I’ll have the time to make labaneh! And I’ll let you know 🙂

    By the way, if you’re reading this Jalan-Jalan, please tell me if you got the “makdous” recipe. I don’t know why it kept coming back to me all the time. But the last time I sent you the email I didn’t get it back. So please confirm you got it either by leaving a comment here or by emailing me.

    March 4 2005

    As Long As Respectful…

    Just came across our friend Natasha’s post concerning the reactions to the Muslim girl who won the school dress case.
    In her post she drew our attention to a post written by The Big Pharaoh on this subject and noted that what he wrote was really appealing, and more convincing than what Subzero Blue wrote.

    Of course everyone is free to believe what they want to believe, and everyone is free to like or dislike whatever they choose, but after reading Big Pharaoh’s post, and the comments left there, I found myself starting out this post to clear out a main and very important point for the sake of all those who are easily mislead by sarcasm and who fall in the trap of “this is real freedom” strategy.

    No offence, but I actually believe this whole Nudadism example fails to fit the comparison, because of one very important and basic concept Subzero Blue mentioned on his post: “I think everyone should be free to wear whatever they want to wear as long as it’s respectful“. Respectful being that what doesn’t offend social values in general, not that of an individual.
    Going out nude is far away from being compared to the lady’s case, because personally I believe that the act that offends the dignity and the freedom of society as a whole is no longer a personal privacy.
    Having said all that, I’d like to point out that people wear coats that cover the whole body whenever they feel like it, just because what the lady asked to wear was defined as “islamic jilbab” doesn’t mean it will harm society in any way! so it’s not really worth all that fuss and destructive criticizing!!!

    Britain did a very brave and fair step that I find very civilized, and would like to congratulate them for the courage of fulfilling real democracy and being fair to their own citizens. I really respect them for that and I just hate it when people make civilized steps look so wrong, and uncivilized ones look really impressive!

  • Another interesting post on the subject: Drubbed By The Jilbab
  • March 3 2005

    State Of Mind…

    If you think you are beaten, you are;
    If you think you dare not, you don’t!
    If you’d like to win, but you think you can’t,
    It’s almost certain you won’t.

    If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost;
    For out in the world we find
    Success begins with a fellow’s will;
    It’s all in the state of mind!

    If you think you’re outclassed, you are;
    You’ve got to think high to rise.
    You’ve got to be sure of yourself
    Before you ‘ll ever win the prize.

    Life’s battles don’t always go
    To the stronger or faster man;
    But sooner or later the man who wins
    Is the person who thinks he can!

    -Author Unknown-

    March 2 2005

    Lesson Of The Day:

    “Sometimes forgetting is more painful than remembering”. – a taxi driver.

    Category: General | LEAVE A COMMENT