Stories about Arabic from June, 2009
Bahrain: No Pride In Being An Arab?
Bahraini blogger Mohammed AlMaskati writes, “Forgive me, for I am an Arab“.
Moroccans Love/Hate Affair with Obama
US President Barack Obama's Cairo address to the Muslim world sparked a blaze of reactions across the region and beyond; not least amongst bloggers from the Maghreb where a fiery of blog posts and instant tweets conveyed a whole spectrum of opinions ranging from outright, full endorsement to deep skepticism and even scorn and mistrust, write Anas Alaoui and Hisham.
Egypt: Will there be any action after Obama's Talk?
As expected, US President Barack Obama's speech was received with different and contradicting reactions in the Egyptian blogsphere. While many praised his eloquence, charisma, intelligence and awareness of Arab and Islamic history, more believed it was just the same talk they had heard from other presidents but in a better wrapping. Also, they almost all agreed they are waiting for "action" to prove the supposed "good intentions."
Israel/Palestine: Commemorating the Nakba and Debating Loyalty
May 15 is Nakba Day, when Palestinians commemorate the creation of Israel and subsequent Palestinian displacement and dispossession. Shortly after the day this year, a controversial piece of legislation was proposed in the Knesset banning commemoration of the Nakba. Two other bills were recently proposed, one introducing a pledge of allegiance to Israel as a Jewish state, and another criminalising public denial of Israel as a Jewish state. While the “loyalty law” has been rejected, and the Nakba bill has been amended, the fact that the bills were introduced at all has prompted debate and protest.
Arab World: What are Arabs waiting for?
Two bloggers on either side of the Arab world are mulling over the condition of Arabs, from the ocean to the gulf. One asks how long we will sit back for while other countries continue to build up and develop their arsenals and weapon stocks - and another wonders why Saudi Arabia doesn't have its own space programme.
Egypt: Is Obama not Welcome?
Forty-eight hours before US president Barack Obama delivers his much awaited speech to the Arab and Muslim worlds from Cairo University, the Egyptian blogosphere is almost unified by the same feeling. Bloggers are outraged by the massive and exaggerated preparations and precautions being taken by the Egyptian government to secure the visit, and most of them are doubting if the anticipated speech would usher any real change.
