https://www.middleeastmonitor.com Latest news from the Middle East and North Africa Tue, 08 Aug 2023 12:23:54 +0000 en-GB Middle East Monitor 30 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.2 https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/favicon.png?fit=32%2C32&quality=85&strip=all&zoom=1&ssl=1 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com 32 32 116394717 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230322-saudi-arabia-is-retelling-the-hijrah-and-shaping-a-new-narrative-through-art/ Wed, 22 Mar 2023 13:03:52 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=624089 The exhibition "Hijrah: In the Footsteps of the Prophet" and the documentary "In the Footsteps of the Beloved" are embracing historical and scientific evidence, signalling a change in Saudi Arabia. There is a long sequence in the movie where a Saudi archaeologist, very thin and emaciated, is walking up a mountain in the desert. A black man is bravely holding an umbrella sheltering him from the sun, and going up the hill with him. It's a long sequence, that seems almost to stress the suffering of the two men. The archaeologist in the film is actually Dr Abdullah Alkadi, a scholar who — according to a guide at the King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture (Ithra) — travelled in the […]]]> 624089 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230205-international-perspectives-on-apartheid-and-decolonization-in-palestine/ Sun, 05 Feb 2023 16:36:37 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=611910 A conference was held in London yesterday, hosted by MEMO entitled "International perspectives on apartheid and decolonization in Palestine" and included a diverse group of academics and writers discussing three broad themes: apartheid, genocide and decolonisation. Dr Daud Abdullah, the Director of MEMO, kicked off the event by welcoming all attendees and those watching the live stream. He pointed out that "There are striking parallels between the socio economic conditions that exist in Palestine today and the degradation of the colonised peoples in the past." This, he said was a consistent pattern in settler colonial regimes aimed at destroying and replacing indigenous populations of the Global South. However, the "tragedy" of Palestine need not remains constant, as Abdullah reminded that […]]]> 611910 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230110-memo-launches-the-jnf-kkl-a-charity-complicit-with-ethnic-cleansing-by-dr-uri-davis/ Tue, 10 Jan 2023 08:11:19 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=605002 MEMO hosted the book launch of JNF/KKL: A Charity Complicit With Ethnic Cleansing, written by Dr Uri Davis, an Israeli academic and independent researcher who is noted to be a defender of Palestinian human rights, in London last night. Held in London's P21 Gallery, the event started off with an introduction by MEMO's Nasim Ahmed, who highlighted that the book reveals one of the pillars of Israel's ethnic cleansing, and presented a video produced by Kholoud Al-Ajarma which exposes the Jewish National Fund's (JNF) key role in that crime. Dr Davis then shed light on the ongoing apartheid that Israel, its government and its forces are imposing on the Palestinian population. He called on people to show him any other member state of […]]]> 605002 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221104-winners-of-palestine-book-awards-2022-announced/ Fri, 04 Nov 2022 23:36:32 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=590742 The winners of 2022's Palestine Book Awards (PBA) were announced on Friday evening in an event in London to recognise authors and their contributions to literature on the subject of Palestine. Seven books were handpicked by the panel of judges and saw their authors presented with awards in five categories. The 11th PBA was held in person for the first time since 2019, after COVID forced MEMO to host the event online. The awards ceremony followed an informal event held yesterday at London's P21 Gallery, in which authors of the nine shortlisted books discussed their work with the audience and participated in a lively debate. The 2022 Palestine Book Awards ceremony was opened by British journalist, author and former associate […]]]> 590742 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221104-palestine-book-awards-shortlisted-authors-presented-in-london-event/ Fri, 04 Nov 2022 00:19:14 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=591395 MEMO hosted an informal event at London's P21 Gallery last night ahead of this year's Palestine Book Awards (PBA) in recognition of authors and their contribution to literature on the subject of Palestine. For the 11th PBA – held in person for the first time since 2019 after the Covid pandemic forced MEMO to move it online – authors of the nine shortlisted works discussed their work with the audience . The event tonight was chaired by Eugene Rogan, professor of Modern Middle Eastern History at St Antony's College, University of Oxford. After presenting the books and their categories, he introduced the authors and allowed them to briefly talk about their books and the goals they had in writing them. […]]]> 591395 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221031-the-middle-eastern-presence-at-paris-art-week-was-extensive/ Mon, 31 Oct 2022 12:49:57 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=590226 With its two leading art fairs, Paris + Art Basel and ASIA NOW, as well as exhibitions scattered around the city, Paris Art Week 2022 had an extensive presence of Middle Eastern artists and galleries, and paid strong attention to the current situation in Iran. The week is one of the most important diary dates for art lovers, who flock to the French capital to take the pulse of art world trends. This year, in particular, was marked by a series of art fairs; the main fair was undoubtedly Paris + Art Basel, which was accompanied by several smaller but significant fairs, such as ASIA NOW and the AKKA Art fair, dedicated to Africa. AKKA featured a few North African […]]]> 590226 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220610-memo-launches-our-vision-for-liberation-ramzy-barouds-latest-book-in-london/ Fri, 10 Jun 2022 20:44:47 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=561212 The launch of the widely-acclaimed book 'Our Vision for Liberation: Engaged Palestinian Leaders & Intellectuals Speak Out' by Dr Ramzy Baroud and Professor Ilan Pappe was held today in London's Wellcome Centre, commemorating another milestone in the struggle for Palestine's freedom from occupation. In Middle East Monitor's first in-person event two years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a panel of speakers came together to discuss the future of Palestine from a grassroots perspective. After introductions, the panel was kicked off by Ilan Pappe . The Israeli historian stated that the book is more than just about the ongoing Nakba or persecution of Palestinians, but focuses on a broader vision for the future of the struggle. Stating that the book […]]]> 561212 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220428-establishing-a-palestinian-presence-at-the-2022-venice-biennale/ Thu, 28 Apr 2022 12:42:36 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=552138 At the very centre of Palazzo Mora, an old Venetian building, I stepped across the front yard and then through rooms where workers were still setting up artworks from parallel shows, in preparation for the 2022 Venice Art Biennale running from 23 April to 27 November 2022. Finally, I found what I was looking for. A little taste of Palestine in the heart of this iconic Italian city. Curated by Nancy Nesvet, head curator at the Palestine Museum in the US, the exhibition "From Palestine With Art" features 19 Palestinian artists from Palestine and across the diaspora. Visitors are welcomed by artfully-stained curtains realised by Samar Hussaini. This is a strong first impression alongside the music; traditional Palestinian tunes ease […]]]> 552138 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20211025-will-the-new-ad-diriyah-contemporary-art-biennale-tackle-the-fundamental-issues-of-this-time/ Mon, 25 Oct 2021 15:50:45 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=504901 As the pandemic starts to wane down in some parts of the world, art audiences are getting ready to pack their bags and get ready for the new seasons of art events, involving art fairs, biennales, exhibitions, auctions, hopping on planes. In the art world, there has been a lot of discussion about how the pandemic has changed the system, or how the system needs to change according to the lesson the pandemic taught us. But the truth is that most initiatives—at least, in the parts of the world which are able to get back on track—are resuming as if nothing had happened. A much awaited event from a country which is looking at economic and cultural growth is the […]]]> 504901 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210618-israels-occupation-is-gazas-main-medical-problem-insist-professionals/ Fri, 18 Jun 2021 15:27:31 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=478167 The main medical problem in the Gaza Strip is the Israeli occupation, Norwegian doctor and humanitarian Mads Gilbert told viewers during a webinar organised by the Middle East Monitor yesterday in association with PalMed Europe, an organisation of Palestinian doctors based across the continent. Gilbert and the other members of a panel of experts addressed the toll of Israeli air strikes on Gaza's health sector and the implications during the programme "Gaza's Health Sector: Challenges in War and Peace". The webinar followed Israel's 11-day bombardment of Gaza last month, which killed at least 254 Palestinians, including 66 children and two senior doctors. It also left the Palestinian Health Ministry and Gaza's main Covid-19 lab out of service. The Chairman of […]]]> 478167 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210218-the-making-of-hamas-foreign-policy-book-launch/ Thu, 18 Feb 2021 09:48:13 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=456882 ]]> 456882 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210101-2020-year-in-review/ Fri, 01 Jan 2021 10:47:36 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=445722 Report: Israel army carried out 300 attacks on Gaza Strip in 2020]]> 445722 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201106-winners-of-2020-palestine-book-awards-announced/ Fri, 06 Nov 2020 15:43:27 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=433118 The winners of this year's Palestine Book Awards (PBA) were announced yesterday following another year of strong submissions. Judges sifted through 38 books covering a number of genres. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the prestigious event celebrating the work of authors who focus on Palestine and the Palestinians was held online. Participants logged on from around the world. The 2020 PBA ceremony, the ninth to be held, began with a keynote address by Dr Rima Khalaf, President of the Global Organisation Against Racial Discrimination and Segregation, following opening remarks by Professor Karma Nabulsi. The senior lecturer in political theory at the University of Oxford congratulated MEMO and the PBA judges, as well as the shortlisted authors, before handing over to […]]]> 433118 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200911-kashmir-palestine-the-destruction-of-indigenous-cultural-heritage/ Fri, 11 Sep 2020 00:13:26 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=421834 The Centre for Middle East and Africa (CMEA) in collaboration with Middle East Monitor organised a webinar entitled "Kashmir & Palestine: The destruction of Indigenous Cultural Heritage" on 10 September, 2020. The distinguished panel of speakers included President of Azad Kashmir Sardar Masood Khan, Founder and President of Palestine Land Society and historian Dr Salman Abu Sitta, wife of detained Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Chairman Mushaal Hussein Mullick, former Deputy Legal Adviser to the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Palestinian Authority Kevin Chamberlain, Assistant Professor at Quaid-e-Azam University Dr Salma Malik, archaeologist and former Director of The Palestinian Museum Dr Mahmoud Hawari and Assistant Professor of International Relations at the National Defense University in Pakistan Dr […]]]> 421834 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200704-lets-embrace-israeli-annexation-and-work-towards-a-single-democratic-state/ Sat, 04 Jul 2020 10:46:42 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=408787 Supporters of Israel would have breathed a sigh of relief when the Zionist state postponed its 2 July annexation of the West Bank, in what was a humiliating about-turn. The formula for peace envisaged in the two-state solution is considered the last chance to redeem the Zionist project from tipping over into a full-blown apartheid state. With annexation being a daily reality for Palestinians, the international backlash concealed a level of hypocrisy and ignorance that is particularly unique to this issue. Israel formalised its annexation of Jerusalem and the Golan Heights with very little resistance from the same outspoken critics. One has to ask: is one set of illegal annexation worse than others? Would annexation of another 30 per cent […]]]> 408787 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200416-reject-israels-unlawful-treatment-of-palestinian-prisoners-peled-tells-london-seminar/ Thu, 16 Apr 2020 14:48:43 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=397422 A seminar in London yesterday considered the position of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. Organised by Palestinian youth group OLIVE and the Association of Student Activism for Palestine (ASAP), the seminar was held to coincide with Palestinian Prisoners' Day 2020. Speaker Miko Peled highlighted the importance of paying attention to prisoners' rights and making the conscious decision to reject the unlawful treatment of Palestinians in Israel's prisons. The Israeli-American activist pointed out that coronavirus Covid-19 can knock on the doors of their cells and threaten their lives in such crowded spaces. He then discussed the need to be aware of such unlawful practices, to try to stop them, and to demand the unconditional […]]]> 397422 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200317-palestines-recent-history-through-political-landscape-posters/ Tue, 17 Mar 2020 10:02:16 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=391941 Palestinian ambassador Ali Kazak arrived in Australia in 1970, at the peak of the Palestinian revolutionary political and military activity. He found that the Zionist narrative was prevalent in public opinion, propagating a biased portrayal of the events unfolding in occupied Palestine. He decided to engage in efforts to provide a counter-narrative to refute the false claims being made by the Zionists, and requested materials and posters issued by the Palestine Liberation Organisation and Fatah departments of information. He began to circulate them in Australia, as well as collect them. After many years in the diaspora, Kazak's poster collection finally made its way home to Palestine. Part of the collection is to be found in an exhibition at the Palestinian […]]]> 391941 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200304-the-past-present-and-future-of-ethiopia-by-artist-aida-muluneh/ Wed, 04 Mar 2020 13:30:45 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=377533 Ethiopian artist Aïda Muluneh's striking photograph titled "The past, the present and the future" depicts three women with blue skin; it is extremely evocative, and reminiscent of the painting "The three ages of Woman" by Gustav Klimt. The photo contains pop-culture elements, calling to mind the comic book character Mystique from X-Men, or Neytiri from the movie Avatar. Whether these references are intentional or not, Muluneh is no stranger to pop culture. The artist references another Marvel comic book-turned-movie — Black Panther — as a visionary work representing so-called "Afrofuturism". To her, the movie borrowed a great deal not only from Africa but also from her native Ethiopia, a country that is still viewed through a stereotypical lens. She is […]]]> 377533 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191209-7th-annual-rise-up-entrepreneurial-summit-showcases-mena-startup-market/ Mon, 09 Dec 2019 12:00:13 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=375489 The seventh annual Rise Up summit took place on 5-7 December at the American University in Cairo. The largest entrepreneurial gathering across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Rise Up is an opportunity for budding startups, venture capitalists and everyone in between, to meet in contribution to the region's 'ecosystem' (economic system). "The purpose behind Rise Up is to connect startups with the most relevant resources," Abdelhameed Sharara, CEO and co-founder of Rise Up, told MEMO at last weekend's event. The 400 investors, the 200 workshops and the 300 professional speakers attending the summit providing in-depth advice, all have the shared goal of launching a regional startup to success and building the MENA's ecosystem. The seventh edition of Rise […]]]> 375489 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191205-first-global-conference-on-israeli-apartheid-2/ Thu, 05 Dec 2019 15:43:33 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=375038 Israel's continued occupation of Palestinian territory, as well as the efforts that Israel goes to to impose second-class citizen status on Palestinian citizens and inhabitants of the occupied West Bank prompted the "First Global Conference on Israeli Apartheid" to take place in Istanbul, Turkey, last weekend. Inaugurating the conference, President of the Union of Non-Governmental Organisations in the Islamic World (UNIW), Ali Kurk reiterated the Western governments' overwhelming support for Israel's apartheid system and the country as a whole, and stated: "International law has become meaningless now the law of the strong rules." Retired general of the Turkish armed forces who was appointed Chief Political Adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2016, Adnan Tanriverdi, said Jerusalem was particularly […]]]> 375038 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191127-past-and-present-perspectives-on-civil-society-in-south-yemen/ Wed, 27 Nov 2019 15:38:59 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=374012 The Arab-British Chamber of Commerce was the venue for yesterday's workshop organised by the Academic Forum Muhammad Ali Luqman and supported by Independent Diplomat focussing on civil society, women's activism and the role of local and international media in current developments in South Yemen, in particular from a historical and grassroots perspective. Chaired by Thanos Petouris of SOAS, University of London, the first of two-panel sessions featured two academics: Huda Luqman, the daughter of Muhammad Ali Luqman, the Yemeni lawyer, journalist, social activist and eponym of the Berlin-based forum; and Ameen Shandhor, who serves as the forum's vice chairman. Luqman began by sharing her memories and experiences of the "golden age" of Yemen's southern port city of Aden between the […]]]> 374012 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191123-the-eu-knows-hamas-isnt-a-terrorist-group-but-is-working-to-delegitimise-it/ Sat, 23 Nov 2019 22:03:21 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=373389 MEMO today co-hosted a one-day conference with the NGO EuroPal Forum on "The Palestine Question in Europe". The event brought together an esteemed panel of speakers and experts on the Palestine-Israel question through the lens of Europe, in particular the EU's foreign policy on core issues such as illegal Israeli settlements, Palestinian refugees, borders, security and Jerusalem. EuroPal Forum Chairman Zaher Birawi welcome attendees and explained that events such as these are vital as a result of the "severe lack of mechanisms of assessment for understanding where the Palestinian issue is situated and understood across Europe". The forum, he continued, was organised to bridge this gap and to facilitate a better understanding of Palestinian-European relations. Birawi stressed that these endeavours […]]]> 373389 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191119-personal-matters-of-the-found-archive-of-hani-jawherieh/ Tue, 19 Nov 2019 15:36:17 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=372817 The Found Archive of Hani Jawherieh is an exhibition looking at the personal films and photos of the eponymous Palestinian photographer and cinematographer. It opened last week at the P21 Gallery in London. Hani Jawherieh (1939-1976) was a Palestinian photographer and cinematographer and one of the founders of the Palestine Film Unit. He is known for his images of Palestinian resistance and freedom fighters of the 1960s and 1970s, and for his documentation of the expulsion of Palestinians during the sixties. Killed in 1976 while in Lebanon documenting a battle between Palestinian fighters, much of Hani's work was looted by the Israeli Army during its 1982 invasion of the country. The exhibition is part of filmmaker and curator Azza El-Hassan's […]]]> 372817 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191101-winners-of-8th-palestine-book-awards-announced/ Fri, 01 Nov 2019 21:30:08 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=369825 The 8th PBA awards ceremony was preceded by an informal event with authors of the shortlisted books speaking about their publications at the P21 Gallery, giving the public an opportunity to ask questions about the works collated this year. The oversubscribed event was well received by attendees, who were also able to purchase the shortlisted books and have them signed by their respective authors. A total of 43 English language books were entered in this year's competition with seven having been shortlisted by a panel of expert judges. The awards were categorised as follows: Academic, Creative, Social History, Translation, and Lifetime Achievement. The evening was opened by PBA judge Alan Waddams, who thanked guests for attending an event that celebrated […]]]> 369825 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191101-memos-palestine-book-awards-gets-underway-in-london/ Fri, 01 Nov 2019 09:07:45 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=369703 MEMO's award season got under way last night in front of a packed gathering in London who helped launch the 8th Palestine Book Awards. The audience at the pre-launch event for MEMO's flagship event, were treated to an engaging conversation with this year's shortlisted authors who discussed their works ahead of the winners' announcement this evening. Chaired by Professor Karma Nabulsi, senior lecturer in political theory at the University of Oxford, six of the seven shortlisted authors reflected on their work and fielded questions about their books. For the first time in the award's history, each of the books was twinned with a collection from the Palestinian History Tapestry with panels on display depicting the history of the land of Palestine. […]]]> 369703 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191024-libya-back-home-uses-theatre-to-tackle-collective-memory/ Thu, 24 Oct 2019 13:38:30 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=368594 "Why don't I have the strength to chop off this bond with this country, Libya, which brings me so much suffering?" asks filmmaker Khalifa. He is giving voice to the reflections of guilt-torn actress Miriam. By then the people hearing these words knows it. They know that we don't stop loving someone, or something, only because they are sick. The other face of our pain for the world is our love for the world. This is the most important lesson we learn from the play Libya. Back Home. The show was conceived and directed by Paola Di Mitri, with texts by Miriam Selima Fieno, Giancarlo Fieno and Khalifa Abo Khraisse. Presented on 15 and 16 October at the Romauropa Festival […]]]> 368594 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191007-no-means-no-palestine-film-festival-calls-out-gender-based-violence/ Mon, 07 Oct 2019 11:42:51 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=365936 The sixth annual Palestine Cinema Days festival is in full-swing. From 2-9 October across six cities in historic Palestine, 60 Palestinian and international films are being screened to thousands of audience members. The festival is a testament to FilmLab: Palestine's goal of reviving the cinema culture in the country. Four films in particular make this year's festival unique. They are a part of a parallel programme in partnership with International Media Support (IMS), a Nordic media development organisation that promotes press freedom and the safety of journalists around the world. The programme is called "No Means No" and is meant to raise awareness of gender-based violence and bring about positive change for survivors. Despite the fledgling re-emergence of cinema culture […]]]> 365936 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191002-memo-hosts-remembering-jamal-one-year-on/ Wed, 02 Oct 2019 20:31:56 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=364971 It is exactly one year since Jamal Khashoggi walked into Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul where he was met by a team of Saudi assassins, hand-picked presumably by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia himself, determined to follow the instructions of their superiors who demanded nothing less than the "head of the dog". Dehumanised and vilified by the royals he once served, 60-year-old Khashoggi, described by friends and colleagues as "a gentle giant", endured a fate beyond anyone's comprehension. His gruesome murder not only shook the Saudi Kingdom it sent tremors all over the world. The shockwave threatened to bring the royals in Riyadh to their knees. One year on the world is still waiting for answers. Where is Khashoggi's […]]]> 364971 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190910-baghdad-comes-to-stratford-in-rsc-commissioned-play/ Tue, 10 Sep 2019 15:28:12 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=361840 Theatre as an act of re-imagining and storytelling is an approach displayed masterfully in the new Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) production A Museum in Baghdad. In conversation with MEMO, playwright Hannah Khalil describes "Iraq" as the object of focus, adding that the performance throws out universal questions unresolved by history. In its attempt to chart decades of suffering, the play unpacks and deliberates over pressing questions about the value we assign to human life versus the value we assign to irreplaceable artefacts. A Museum in Baghdad takes us back in time, across to important historical chapters, Iraq under British and US imperial rule, when the modern state's boundaries and legal foundations were transformed. The far-reaching consequences of those epochs are […]]]> 361840 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190805-big-ride-for-palestine-takes-the-message-to-manchester-and-beyond/ Mon, 05 Aug 2019 04:20:53 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=356720 The second leg of the 2019 Big Ride for Palestine started and ended in Manchester on Saturday, and saw more than 200 cyclists show the flag and raise awareness of the plight of the Palestinians. The route took the riders past the home of Manchester United FC, Old Trafford, as well as the club's training centre in Carrington. This tied in with the fund-raising objective to raise money for sports equipment for traumatised children in the besieged Gaza Strip. Even before this year's Big Rides took place, more than £130,000 had been raised for the Middle East Children's Alliance since 2015. After leaving St Peter's Square in central Manchester, the riders were cheered on by well-wishers and supporters in places […]]]> 356720 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190729-the-fifth-annual-big-ride-takes-the-palestine-issue-onto-the-streets-of-london/ Mon, 29 Jul 2019 11:58:37 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=355508 The Big Ride for Palestine came to Britain's capital city on Saturday to fly the flag and raise awareness across London of the Israeli occupation. Almost 150 cyclists braved a downpour to gather in North Kensington before setting off on a meandering 36-mile route which took in Cricklewood, Kilburn, Regent's Park — where another 50 or so joined the ride — Camden, Finsbury Park, Walthamstow and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park before ending at St John on Bethnal Green Church, where an enthusiastic reception greeted the riders. Speakers at the church included the Reverend Prebendary Alan Green who welcomed everyone to St John's which, he explained, is there to help challenge the status quo and fight for justice for the […]]]> 355508 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190725-jeremy-hardys-pro-palestine-activism-remembered-in-london/ Thu, 25 Jul 2019 14:06:08 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=355063 With a special screening of Jeremy Hardy versus the Israeli Army, a packed hall at London's Greenwood Theatre paid a fitting tribute on Tuesday to the late Jeremy Hardy, the British comedian who passed away from cancer earlier this year at the age of 57. The star of BBC Radio and acclaimed stand-up comedian was renowned for his passionate campaigning for human rights and his staunch support for the Palestinian cause. Presented by Open Bethlehem and Medical Aid for Palestinians, the feature documentary follows the work and activities of the International Solidarity Movement in the occupied Palestinian territories through Hardy's "extraordinary journey to free Palestine" at the invitation of Palestinian-British filmmaker Leila Sansour. She had challenged Hardy to join the […]]]> 355063 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190717-sink-without-a-trace-balancing-politics-and-aesthetics/ Wed, 17 Jul 2019 10:20:17 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=353762 On one wall of the exhibition hangs a pink flip flop, the base curling up at the sides, dark patches of dirt spotted across it. To the right is a pair of twisted jeans next to an orange life jacket. They're objects you wouldn't necessarily expect to find in a gallery, though they were on display at Sink Without a Trace, an exhibition at the P21 Gallery on the subject of migrant deaths at sea. Co-curator and artist Maya Ramsay retrieved the objects whilst making rubbings from the graves of unidentified migrants in Sicily – she says that there's no need to turn them into art, they're powerful enough in themselves. Maya's objects bring viewers closer to physical materials they may […]]]> 353762 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190707-bowling-down-israels-occupation-at-palestine-expo/ Sun, 07 Jul 2019 19:12:46 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=351741 Hundreds gathered in London this weekend to celebrate Palestinian history, art and culture at Palestine Expo, Europe's largest Palestine event organised by British NGO Friends of Al-Aqsa (FOA). Despite attempts by pro-Israel group UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) to shut down the event, there was a tremendous turnout as supporters attended the various exhibitions and talks across the two days, buying books, clothes, perfumes, spices and more. In the middle of the Olympia London venue, a series of interactive exhibits raised awareness about key Palestinian issues including child prisoners, Palestinians' difficulty accessing education and the water disparity between Israel and Palestine. The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign held an interactive bowling installation in which people used a BDS bowling […]]]> 351741 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190707-palexpo-knocks-down-israels-separation-wall/ Sun, 07 Jul 2019 17:03:21 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=351667 Billed as Europe's biggest cultural festival on Palestine, thousands arrived expecting to partake in a celebration of the rich heritage of the holy land and to experience reality as it is endured by millions of Palestinians living under the brutal occupation of Israel. The two-day festival of music, art, culture blended with sharp lectures and powerful poems opened at Olympia London Exhibition Centre yesterday to the delight of countless families determined not to miss out on the spectacle. Organisers of Palestine Expo had fought back against attempts by a pro-Israeli group with close ties to Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to have it closed down. Their efforts to muzzle free speech by blocking the two-day event threatened London's reputation as one of […]]]> 351667 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190620-london-tech-week-palestine-is-open-for-business/ Thu, 20 Jun 2019 14:55:34 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=349232 Nine Palestinian entrepreneurs gathered at the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce on Friday for Palestine Entrepreneurship Day, which kicked off as part of London Tech Week. MENACatalyst, in partnership with the Palestinian Mission to the UK and the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce, organised the event to promote Palestinian startups and help young entrepreneurs meet and network with the UK business community. "Today we are here in London along with nine Palestinian startups from the West Bank, from '48 areas and from the diaspora to build business connections [and] explore new investment opportunities," Ghassan Amayra, CEO of MENACatalyst told MEMO. His organisation, he says, is on a mission to promote entrepreneurship in Palestine and help young Palestinian entrepreneurs explore new market opportunities. […]]]> 349232 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190427-memo-conference-the-nation-state-law-entrenched-discrimination-against-arab-israelis/ Sat, 27 Apr 2019 17:03:11 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=340608 Middle East Monitor (MEMO) today hosted a conference discussing Palestinian citizens of Israel and the Nation-State Law, which last year declared Israel the "historical home of the Jewish people" and effectively rendered Israel's some 1.8 million Palestinians second-class citizens. Bringing together influential speakers from academic, political and activist circles, today's conference proved to be a lively discussion of the challenges facing the Arab-Israeli community and what practical steps need to be taken in the future to change the status quo. One of the themes running through the conference was the way in which the Nation-State Law has only further entrenched Israel's already-existing racism and discrimination against its Palestinian citizens. Suhad Bishara, a senior lawyer with the Legal Centre for Arab […]]]> 340608 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190411-iraq-solidarity-month-use-of-weapons-leading-to-birth-defects-across-middle-east/ Thu, 11 Apr 2019 15:04:39 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=338320 Iraq Solidarity Month activists hosted an event in London on Tuesday looking at the ecological crisis resulting from war, occupation and neo-colonial policies in regions across the Arab world, looking at Palestine, Morocco and Iraq. Undermining the socioeconomic and basis of life in the region, the effects of this ecological crisis are seen in disruptive climate change, polluting extractive industries, exhaustion of natural resources, water scarcity and wars leaving behind metals delivered by modern ammunition and white phosphorus, as in Iraq and Gaza. "The event is about environment and resistance," Iraqi author and co-founder of Iraq Solidarity Month, Haifa Zangana, told MEMO. The Iraq war was "a war of aggression" and Iraqis continue to experience its devastating impact, she explained. […]]]> 338320 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190405-non-aggressive-socio-political-art-at-the-2019-sharjah-biennial/ Fri, 05 Apr 2019 11:32:56 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=337301 It is not usual to find a politically and religiously conservative country going hand in hand with being one of the most culturally active. An exception is Sharjah, a unicorn in the United Arab Emirates. Thinking of contemporary art and the Middle East, one might associate Sharjah's investment in the sector with that of Dubai or Abu Dhabi, whose state-sponsored cultural projects are quite recent. However, it has been engaged for decades and the sovereign ruler of the Emirate, Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi — a published historian and author of works of literature and for the theatre himself – has constantly supported the development of the local cultural landscape. That's how we got to today's Sharjah, a country […]]]> 337301 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190205-63-of-a-british-audience-would-prefer-to-cut-ties-with-saudi-arabia/ Tue, 05 Feb 2019 18:25:06 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=327223 A night of compelling debate at the Emmanuel Centre in Westminster on Monday evening concluded with 63 per cent of the 1,000-strong audience voting for the motion that "The West should cut ties with Saudi Arabia". The debate was organised by Intelligence Squared and began with a not insignificant 37 per cent of those present admitting that they were undecided on the issue. Two hours later, the audience had heard some of the most persuasive arguments for and against the motion and Londoners had made up their mind; they cast their vote to cut ties with Saudi Arabia. Remarkably, a mere 5 per cent went home unsure of what to do with the Kingdom, which is a testament to the […]]]> 327223 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190118-i-wanted-to-introduce-palestinian-culture-to-the-uk/ Fri, 18 Jan 2019 21:48:47 +0000 , Middle East Monitor , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=324411 In a low-lit gallery in central London, Suhad Jarrar-Browne sat on a red embroidered cushion surrounded by a rich array of Palestinian artefacts. Brass coffee pots were lined neatly in a row on a table nearby. Intricately-embroidered dresses hung from the wall behind her, carefully woven with elaborate designs passed down through families for centuries. Suhad looked at home, surrounded by the artefacts she has affectionately collected for over 20 years. For this exhibition was all about home – or bayt in Arabic – which, as Suhad explained, is a central element of her identity as a Palestinian. "I wanted to bridge the gaps between the Arab world and the western world," Suhad told the audience: "I wanted to introduce […]]]> 324411 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20181211-london-launch-celebrates-history-of-palestinian-embroidery/ Tue, 11 Dec 2018 21:50:13 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=319257 Hundreds of people gathered today to attend the London launch of the Palestinian History Tapestry Project (PHT), an exhibition celebrating the history of Palestine as told by Palestinians themselves. Embroidered by 36 Palestinian women living across the Middle East, the tapestry is composed of 80 panels, each of which depicts a different period of Palestinian history. From the walls of Jericho – thought to be the earliest walled city – to the founding of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement and the 2014 war on Gaza, the tapestry is awash with intricate stitches and vibrant colours. Tonight's event was opened by Shelagh Weir, former Middle East curator at the British Museum, who described how Palestinian embroidery has formed an integral part […]]]> 319257 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20181206-the-palestine-book-awards-2018-refuting-the-israeli-narrative/ Thu, 06 Dec 2018 10:14:58 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=318239 How can we tackle the Israeli narrative about Palestine's past and present, when the Palestinian people continue to struggle against Israel's colonial occupation which bases its existence on a false narrative about Palestinian history? It is that narrative, after all, which is used to define the prevalent ideology in many areas of the world, mainly the West. How can we refute the Israeli narrative which is dominant in the media and propaganda, and make sure that false history won't reproduce itself? Ramzy Baroud, a media advisor and author of "The Last Land: A Palestinian Story", responded to such questions in his keynote speech at the 2018 Palestine Book Awards ceremony in London last month. The competition has been organised in […]]]> 318239 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20181115-awards-season-launched-at-memos-palestinian-literary-event/ Thu, 15 Nov 2018 22:01:01 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=315268 A packed audience hall gathered in London this evening to listen to some of the Palestine Book Award's shortlisted authors discuss their works ahead of the winners' announcement tomorrow evening. Tonight three of the shortlisted authors: Tareq Baconi, author of "Hamas Contained: The Rise and Pacification of Palestinian Resistance"; Maha Nassar, author of "Brothers Apart: Palestinian Citizens of Israel and the Arab World"; and Reja-e Busailah, author of "In the Land of My Birth: A Palestinian Boyhood". The evening was chaired by Victoria Brittain and Ibrahim Darwish, two trustees of the Palestine Book Awards. Brittain opened the evening by reflecting on how the Awards are now in their seventh year, adding that when the event started back in 2011 she […]]]> 315268 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20181029-remembering-jamal-a-voice-of-the-voiceless/ Mon, 29 Oct 2018 21:57:06 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=312612   On a crisp autumn night in central London, hundreds gathered to remember Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi journalist murdered on 2 October at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. Journalists, activists and members of the public, as well as friends and family of Jamal, gathered in his honour and to remember the man they knew. Today's memorial was opened by MEMO Director Dr Daud Abdullah, a close personal friend of Jamal. Abdullah began by noting how Jamal's story has captured the world's attention, paying homage to his work and his determination to speak truth to power. Another of Jamal's friends, Wadah Khanfar, former director of Al Jazeera Networks and founder of Al Sharq Forum, followed Abdullah. Wadah began with a message […]]]> 312612 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180930-oslo-conference-experts-cite-israels-desire-for-racial-segregation-for-accords-failure/ Sun, 30 Sep 2018 16:34:39 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=308287 The Oslo Accords: A legacy of broken promises, was the subject of discussion at a London conference yesterday hosted by Middle East Monitor (MEMO). Leading experts cited Israel's extreme desire for racial and ethnic segregation from the Palestinians as the primary reason why the agreement signed 25 years ago has failed miserably in ending Israeli occupation and secure Palestinians their basic human rights. Historians and legal experts gave a damning verdict of the Accords exposing the colonial logic that underpinned the arrangement; the devastating impact it had on the Palestinians; and it's role in shaping the apartheid system that has become the main feature of Israel's occupation of Palestine. Dismissing the claim that the goal of Oslo was to serve […]]]> 308287 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180927-oslo-at-25-a-legacy-of-broken-promises/ Thu, 27 Sep 2018 11:45:37 +0000 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=307448 The Oslo Accords signed in 1993 were supposed to end in a final settlement of the Palestine-Israel conflict after an interim period of five years. 25 years on, the 'final settlement' still has not been reached, with the seven 'permanent status' issues yet to be negotiated. To the same degree that the Palestinians did not achieve their independence and statehood, so too the Israelis have failed to realise their exclusive and democratic Jewish state, with a Jewish majority. Why has the Oslo peace process continued for so long with no tangible success? What next for the peace process? The live blog from our conference on Oslo at 25 will begin at 10am GMT on Saturday, 29th September 2018]]> 307448 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180926-arab-tradition-meets-modern-glamour-at-london-fashion-week/ Wed, 26 Sep 2018 15:02:29 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=307769 London Fashion Week wrapped up last week with a schedule packed with some of the most diverse and unique showcases in the industry. At the heart of the renowned festival was a dazzling display of elegant and luxurious Arab designs inspired by traditional Middle Eastern and North African embroidery and infused with touches of modern glamour. The beautifully crafted outfits by Arab designers were showcased at the prestigious Pall Mall venue in London under the umbrella of Stories from Arabia. Founded by London-based entrepreneur Jalila Elmastouki, Stories from Arabia was established as a fashion platform of elite designers from around the Arab world. Its vision is to highlight and promote the remarkable work of the region's finest designs with bespoke […]]]> 307769 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180808-palestine-ambassador-to-uk-israels-actions-against-flotilla-are-piracy/ Wed, 08 Aug 2018 14:12:19 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=301371 The mission of Palestine to the UK hosted a press conference yesterday with two international activists who were on board the Gaza-bound 2018 Freedom Flotilla. The two boats making up the flotilla, one Swedish and another Norwegian, made their way to the Gaza Strip in an attempt to break the siege imposed on the territory since 2007. Dr. Swee Chai Ang, a consultant orthopedic surgeon and the founder of Medical Aid for Palestinians, was on board Al-Awda boat, which was carrying 22 activists from various countries across the world. The Norwegian fishing boat, which had been donated and fitted with an engine, was violently boarded by the Israeli navy on 29 July and all the activists on board were detained […]]]> 301371 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180801-arts-festival-challenges-italys-policies-on-migration/ Wed, 01 Aug 2018 11:47:26 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=300305 How can non-violent research contribute to a solution for the issues linked to the migration phenomena? This is the question that Italy's Love Sharing Festival will try to answer through art. The festival is being organised by the politicised drama company Theandric Teatro Nonviolento, and will put contemporary art, scientific research and social and political innovation in conversation with each other. The idea is to engage in a dialogue between social and political institutions and residents and citizens. The festival aims to challenge the Italian public's views on migration and engage in debates to imagine a more sustainable future. This will be the fourth Love Sharing Festival, and this year the focus is going to be a timely topic for […]]]> 300305