Stories about Middle East & North Africa from December, 2008
Israel: Israeli Bloggers React to Gaza
"Last night as I watched the various international news outlets, I was dismayed to see them relating to the rising death toll in Gaza as if Israel had indiscriminately mowed down a huge swath of unsuspecting innocents," writes Treppenwitz in reaction to the Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip. His reaction is a common one among Israeli bloggers, one where these actions are a justified reaction to a situation that has been unbearable for too long.
Israel: Preparing for War
On December 27, after tensions increased after the ending of a six-month cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, Israeli defense forces began airstrikes in the Gaza Strip. Reactions from the Israeli blogosphere have been supportive of the current military action and preliminary blog posts show that Israelis are gearing up for...
Palestine: On the Ground in Gaza
In spite of the continued attacks on Gaza, and the loss of electricity in many places, there are Gazan bloggers who are managing to write about what is going on. In addition, there are a number of foreign human rights activists in the Gaza Strip who are providing eyewitness accounts.
Iran Review 2008
According to the Berkman Center for Internet and Society there are around 60,000 active Iranian blogs. In 2008 they have been creative, dynamic and active in their diverse fields of interest. Here are a few of them.
The Global Twittersphere Discusses Gaza
Twitter is the new blogging, or so the story goes. Never has that been more apparent than in times of crisis: During the Mumbai attacks, Twitter users provided up-to-the-minute coverage, and today, as Israeli airstrikes continue to hit Gaza, the Twittersphere is deep in discussion.
Syria: Present Day Nazis
“I mean the present-day Nazis that are shelling an entire population in Gaza. Who knew that the heirs to the ethnic genocidal policies of the Holocaust would be the Jews themselves? And have they perfected those policies!” Says Syrian blogger Lujayn, about the latest bombing of Gaza.
Palestine: Who is Responsible for Gaza?
Egyptian Ahmed Tammam asks who is responsible for the attacks in Gaza: “Hammas?? Isreal?? Aeabic world?? Islamic World?? May be All…”
Syria: Outrage at the “Massacre in Gaza”
The Arab world is somber today. The feeling of shock and disgust at the events of yesterday can be felt at every blog. As the Israeli Defense Forces bombed and wrecked havoc in besieged Gaza the Syrian blogosphere had a sense of disbelief at what is happening and the international reaction to it, as Yazan Badran explains.
Palestine: The Untold Story in Gaza
Sameh Habeeb, thought to be the one of the only English-language bloggers currently blogging from Gaza, offers an on-the-ground report of yesterday's events in Gaza.
Syria: Anti-Israel Protests Planned for London
“A demonstration may seem like the most pointless self-serving act you can do at a time like this. But it’s better than sitting at home” writes Syria News Wire in announcing a protest scheduled for tomorrow in front of the Israeli embassy in London.
Palestine: “The Bloodiest Day Since 1967″
It started as a "normal" day in Gaza. By the end of the day, however, it became clear that December 27 would be known as the bloodiest day of the Palestine-Israel conflict since 1967. Although the target of the Israeli airstrikes was Hamas, as the day went on it became clear that there were also a number of civilian casualties among the 225 or so total.
Turkey: Anti-Israel Protests
Erkan's Field Diary posts photos of the anti-Israel protest in Istanbul's Taksim Square in response to recent attacks on Palestinians.
Turkey: Apology Shakes Apologia over Armenian Genocide
Challenging 90 years of institutionalized denial of the massacre and deportation of the Ottoman Empire's indigenous Armenian community during WWI, tens of thousands of Turkish intellectuals, academics, writers, journalists and dissidents have apologized online for the "Great Catastrophe."
Arab World Reacts to “Gaza Massacre”
People from across the Arab world are lamenting the fate of Gazans, after a wave of Israeli aerial attacks, which have killed more than 200 Palestinians and wounded more than 700. The silence of Arab governments in particular is hitting a raw nerve.
UAE: World's First Refrigerated Beach
Dubai's new Palazzo Versace Hotel is set to feature the world's first refrigerated beach, reports Norma of Bloggin’ Banat. She comments: “Clearly, nature is no obstacle for this lavish playground. The beach’s sand will be cooled via an underground system of heat-absorbing pipes and giant wind blowers… Apparently the refrigerated...
Palestine: Reacting to the Star of David Symbol
“If I believed in God, my prayer would be that I never see the star of David again as long as I live, so help me God,” writes Yasmin of The Angry Arab Comments Section blog. “It is impossible for me to separate it from the Israeli flag, which represents...
Palestine: Living Conditions Worsen Under Hamas
Ramzy of MidEast Youth observes: “Ever since Hamas went to power the Palestinian people’s living conditions are from bad to worse with every day because it is internationally recognized as a terrorist group and can’t be endorsed as part of the world system without renouncing violence and recognizing Israel and...
Palestine: Shopping for Palestine
“When you buy a Palestinian product, it not only represents solidarity, but also creates a direct bond between you, the Palestinian people, and the land,” Annie of Annie's Letters believes.
Palestine: Relief Boat Docks Safely in Gaza Port
Free Gaza announced that a relief boat carrying medical supplies landed safely in Gaza's port. Among its passengers were representatives of 15 different nations. The Palestinian Video Blog has live footage.
Palestine: Israeli Airstrikes Spur Actions from Bloggers
Following the end of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, violence and tensions have escalated between Israel and Gaza. Today, Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza in what the AFP calls “one of the bloodiest days of the decades-long Middle East conflict.” So far, the death toll in Gaza is at 210 and rising. The Palestinian blogosphere reports.
Global Health: 2008 Blogs In Review
Bloggers in 2008 showed all the ways in which global health is interconnected with other issues, by covering health stories that touched on everything from poverty and women's rights to the environment and economics. They shared stories such as the prohibition of cannabis in Japan, how ads for children's food...
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