· June, 2009

Stories about Middle East & North Africa from June, 2009

Palestine: Harsh Treatment By Egyptian Border Authorities

  30 June 2009

Lebanese activist Natalie Abou Shakra, who has been in the Gaza Strip for seven months, is now being prevented from entering Egypt by the Egyptian authorities. Witnessing the treatment of Palestinians at the border she says: “They have been taught to accept this treatment. But, as activists, it is our...

Bahrain: Comparing Government Efficiency In Bahrain And Japan

  30 June 2009

Bahraini blogger Yagoob is studying in Japan, and he compares the experience of receiving financial aid from the Bahraini and Japanese governments: “Nagoya is a city with a population of 2.2 million people, four times more people than Bahrain, and yet they are sure of every single piece of information...

Bahrain: The Failure Of Education

  30 June 2009

Mahmood responds to a recently issued official report about the standards of education in Bahrain: “Education in this country is a joke, generally. Things will not change unless the decrepit primary and secondary system is gutted.”

Egyptian Blogger Wael Abbas: Detained at Cairo Airport

  30 June 2009

Upon his arrival from Sweden at the Cairo Airport, blogger Wael Abbas tweets the details of his detention at Cairo Airport. The Arabist reported saying: Egyptian mega-blogger Wael Abbas is being detained at Cairo Airport after his passport was confiscated last night. This is the first time this has happened to...

Iran: Protest movement inspires art

  30 June 2009

Iranian and non-Iranian citizens continue to create online works of art to support Iranians who protest against the June 12 presidential election results in Iran.

Turkey: Pride March In Istanbul

  30 June 2009

Elizabeth is currently in Istanbul, and took part in its sixth LGBTT Pride March: “I took a lot of photos and copied down slogans: Susma, haykır, esçinseller vardir! (Don’t be silent, speak up: Queers exist!)”

Morocco: Celebrating the First Female Mayor of Marrakesh

  29 June 2009

The Moroccan elections of two weeks ago brought surprising results and were received with mixed reactions, as Hisham pointed out in this post.  One such result was the election of a woman to the position of mayor in Marrakesh for the very first time.  Fatima Zahra Mansouri, who studied law,...

Palestine: Learn From Palestinians

  28 June 2009

In the West Bank, Samuel Nichols describes visiting a Palestinian family: “These people don't need to learn about modern economics, democracy, or the peace process. The opposite is true, we all need to learn from them. The graciousness, kindness, and love of their hospitality is something that could change the...

Palestine: Rafah Crossing Open For 72 Hours

  28 June 2009

Laila El-Haddad is hoping she will see her parents soon, as the Rafah Crossing from Gaza into Egypt is temporarily opened: “Of the some 5000 Palestinians registered to cross, only 250 were allowed out of Gaza on the first day (a total of 5 buses), and only 4 buses scheduled...

Israel/Palestine: Travels With A Surfboard

  28 June 2009

Jesse Aizenstat is an American surfer who has been visiting Israel and Palestine – and he has carried his surfboard everywhere: “Walk from the Jerusalem bus station to the Muslim Quarter. This took about a half-hour; perhaps more because of inquisitive strangers questioning my sanity for bringing a surfboard to...

Algeria: On France's burqa ban

  28 June 2009

Algerian-American blogger The Moor Next Door remarks upon France's intended burqa ban, saying, “The trouble the French may want to worry about is not the burqa as it is worn in France today, but that such a ban, as the headscarf ban has done, will make the garment a greater...

Syria: The Worst Time to Die

  28 June 2009

Syrian blogger Maysaloon notes the unfortunate timing of Michael Jackson's death in relation to the Iran media storm.

Morocco: The Last Jews of Essaouira

  28 June 2009

Reading Morocco mentions an article on the last Jews of the town of Essaouira but says of the discourse: “I am intrigued by the history of Jews in Morocco but there needs to be a little more constructive criticism of Jewish out migration from the country, especially to Israel; and...

Iraq: Reflecting on Iran

  28 June 2009

Assuming my dear readers have not been living in a cave for the past couple of weeks, the developments after the recent Iranian elections need no introduction. Here I present, in their own words, the recent comments of Iraqi bloggers on the subject. So much has been said about the...

Bahrain: What Does “Madrasah” Mean?

  28 June 2009

Bahraini blogger Cradle of Humanity is currently in the United States, and she recounts a misunderstanding that took place when she was asked if there are any madrasahs in Bahrain…

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Mariam A.
Mariam A. is the editor for the Middle East & North Africa. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.