· August, 2008

Stories about Palestine from August, 2008

Palestine: A New Blogging Revolution

Blogger Times, a blogging magazine written by Arab bloggers, covering new developments and current issues within the Arab blogging world, has published a new story called Blogging.. a Palestinian revolution.” How is the blogging scene in Palestine and what should bloggers focus on?

25 August 2008

Arabeyes: The Olympics, Pride, Equality and Hope

Millions around the world were glued to their television screens watching their favourite athletes at this year's Beijing Olympics, which just closed. What did Arab bloggers have to say about the world's premier sporting event and their country teams? Following are a few reactions.

24 August 2008

Palestine: Saving water

Alajnabiya, an American Muslim living in Palestine, describes how she copes with constant water shortages in the West Bank. She says: “Much as I love flowers, flushing the toilets is...

23 August 2008

Palestine: Boats break siege of Gaza

The latest news on the two boats attempting to sail to the Gaza Strip as an act of solidarity is that they have reached Gaza, despite earlier warnings that they might not be permitted to do so. Bloggers have reacted to the action with both excitement and concern.

23 August 2008

Jordan: Al Aqsa Mosque Picture

Jordan's Jazarah posts a 39-year-old photograph of “Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, Palestine after an Israeli attack that caused a big fire, leading to major damage in the Mosque.”

22 August 2008

MENA: Refused Gaza Fulbright students speak

A few weeks a group of students from the Gaza Strip who were due to go to the United States on Fulbright scholarships had their visas revoked at the last moment. Two of the students who were denied the chance to pursue their studies have since written heartfelt letters pleading their case.

22 August 2008

Egypt: Death of Three Arab Cultural Icons

The Arab world lost three of its cultural icons in the spam of a month. They are Egyptians philosopher Dr Abdelwahab El Mesery and film maker Yousef Chahine and Palestinian poet Mahmood Darwish. Egyptian Blogger, ElGharep, or The Stranger, reflects on the loss in this post [Ar].

19 August 2008

Palestine: Is literature in Gaza dead?

With the death of Mahmoud Darwish, the Arab world has mourned the loss of one of its greatest poets. However some Palestinians have been critical of Darwish. One Gazan blogger can't understand this, and he asks what has happened to literature and creativity in Gaza today.

17 August 2008

Arabeyes: Mourning for Mahmoud Darwish

Bloggers around the Arab world mourned the death of Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish yesterday. Scores of posts appeared online in Arabic and English even before news of his death was officially confirmed.

9 August 2008

MENA: Visas of Fulbright scholars revoked

Earlier this week three Palestinians, recipients of prestigious Fulbright scholarships to study in the United States, had their visas revoked by the US, preventing them from taking up the scholarships. A fourth, a high-school student on a separate programme, was also stopped. Yet two and a half months ago, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had personally intervened to make sure that the grant winners would be able to go. Why the last-minute change of heart? Bloggers from around the Middle East have a number of theories.

9 August 2008

Palestine: The children who forgot how to have fun

The situation in the Gaza Strip has affected every aspect of life, and every age group. Blogger Samaher Al Khazandar describes the difficulties a kindergarten had when trying to hold a party at the end of the school year. But can children living in war zones enjoy their childhood?

9 August 2008

MENA: Obama's Muslim Outreach Coordinator Resigns

Mazen Asbahi, the attorney who had volunteered as Barack Obama's outreach coordinator to Muslim and Arab-Americans, has resigned after accusations of ties to Jamal Said, an imam at a fundamentalist mosque in Illinois. Asbahi briefly sat on the board of Allied Assets Advisors Fund with Said in 2000. Bloggers from the Middle East react in this post from Jillian York.

8 August 2008

Palestine: No Peace for Ahmed Moussa in Life or Death

Mourners waited by the thousands for the funeral of Ahmed Moussa, the young boy killed early this week by Israeli soldiers during a protest in Nilin. A peaceful funeral for the young boy was not to be, however, and before the the day was over, another young man fell. Jillian York reviews the Palestinian blogosphere for reactions.

4 August 2008