Stories about Arabic from January, 2013
New Palestinian Village Bab Al Shams Established in East Jerusalem
As part of the popular resistance movement in the Palestine, a group of about 250 Palestinian activists established the new village of Bab Al Shams or “The Gate of the Sun”, on a piece of confiscated land in Eastern Jerusalem, referred by Israeli authorities as “Area E1“. Despite an eviction notice from the Israeli army, the activists plan to spend the night in the tents they have set up there.
Mourning 13 Expatriates Online in Bahrain
Thirteen expatriate workers were killed in a fire that broke out in a house in Manama. Netizens react to the incident, questioning the status and treatment of foreign workers in Bahrain.
Public Prosecutor Seeks Flogging for Saudi Women Protesters
Last Saturday, January 5th, relatives of uncharged prisoners managed to organize a small protest in Saudi Arabian city Buraida to demand the release of the prisoners. The protesters, all of them were women and children, were quickly surrounded and arrested by police forces since all methods of public dissent are strictly prohibited and harshly crushed in the absolute monarchy.
Kuwaiti Twitter User Jailed for Two Years for Insulting Emir
Kuwait slapped a two year prison sentence to yet another Twitter user for using the microblogging site to insult its ruler. Netizens react.
Assad's Delusional #DonkeySpeech Scorned
Bashar Al Assad's latest speech, 21 months into Syria's uprising, drew scorn from netizens around the world. Many are also dismayed that not much is being done to alleviate the suffering of Syrians. Around 60,000 people have reportedly been killed, food and fuel are scarce and millions are homeless, either internally displaced by the crisis or living in refugee camps in neighbouring countries.
Tunisian Army Critic Gets a One-Year Suspended Jail Sentence
A military court increased Ayoub Massoudi's suspended jail term from four months to one year. Massoudi, a former advisor to Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki, was charged with “defaming” the army and “undermining senior officials in the military”, over his declarations regarding the army's role in the extradition process of Muammar Gaddafi's Prime Minister Baghdadi Mahmoud from Tunisia to Libya.
“Some Hope for a Solution in Syria” – Michel Kilo
Michel Kilo is one of Syria’s famous dissidents, a political opponent of President Bashar al Assad. He rose to prominence inthe Damascus Spring, a brief flourishing of political freedom and expression in 2000. Kilo left Syria eight months into the revolution and now lives in Paris with his family. He answered questions from Syria Deeply via Skype.
Arab World: Al-Andalus: Fall or Reconquista?
While people in Spain celebrated “El día de la Toma de Granada”, those in the Arab world debated whether it was an Arab occupation of Iberian Peninsula or not.
New Year and Old Habits in Bahrain
While countries around the world ushered in the New Year with fireworks and celebrations, a special line-up of treats from the authorities was awaiting Bahraini protesters. Luckily, netizens were up and running, and documenting some of them for the rest of the world to see.
