Manal and Alaa's bit bucket

Yes. Unbelievable, but true. What’s the cliche about “the road to hell?”To all the people who really care about Darfur and want the experience of seeing a refugee camp first hand: What’s stopping you?Technorati Tags: Sudan, Darfur

Interesting interview, courtesy of CNN’s PR department. Worth reading in full:Speaking this morning to CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Iraq’s national security adviser Mowaffak al-Rubaie discussed withdrawing multinational forces from Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and President Bush’s upcoming Camp David meetings. A highlighted excerpt is below, and a full transcript follows.Please credit all usage to CNN’s “Late [...]

Late on this, but I wanted to note a more important aspect to the story of the crackdown on Amnesty International in Tunisia than the ejection of a Swiss representative.Eté arrêté le 22 mai 2006 à 12h30 à la porte du (CHU) Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Farhat Hached de Sousse (lieu de travail) par un agent [...]

I think I’m in love…These days, being a Muslim woman means being saddled with what can only be referred to as the “burden of pity.” The feelings of compassion that we Muslim women seem to inspire emanate from very distinct and radically opposed currents: religious extremists of our own faith, and evangelical and secular supporters [...]

Reported atrocities in Haditha are but the tip of a dark iceberg, reports Nermeen Al-Mufti

While Washington has scored its first points on Tehran in the diplomatic war of tactics, Iran remains well positioned, at least for now, writes Mustafa El-Labbad

Damascus sees open clashes between security forces and Islamic militants, posing a conundrum for the US that continues to oppose the incumbent Syrian regime, writes Sami Moubayed

Despite promises of crisis alleviation, the economic situation of thousands of Palestinians remains perilously critical, Erica Silverman reports from Gaza

The occupation of Iraq will leave a legacy of murder and disregard for human life in its wake, writes Firas Al-Atraqchi

Blogger SaudiEve reports the Internet Services Unit of the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology has blocked her domain. She’s asking people to fill out this form to petition the ISU to unblock the page. Please consider filling out the form. It only takes a minute. If you have a blog, please consider using [...]

Jonathan Cook’s June 1 article about the Israeli Supreme Court’s verdict on the constitutionality of the Nationality and Entry to Israel Law takes a good look at Israel’s “demographic demon.” Palestinians, take note. The path to freedom lies in your loins.Technorati Tags: Israel, Palestinians, Nationality Law

Ehud Olmert achieved his goals in Washington -- if not now, then soon, writes Graham Usher

Undercover Israeli troops hold the centre of Ramallah hostage in broad daylight, leaving a trail of injury and death in their wake, witnesses Erica Silverman

The US-led imperial project in Iraq has done everything possible to foment strife and chaos and to lay blame on Iraqis, writes Mohamed Hassan Al-Khalesi

I’m late to this party, but finally found time to read Michael Massing’s “The Storm over the Israel Lobby” in the New York Review of Books today. If you haven’t already, read it.Technorati Tags: Israel, AIPAC, lobby

Iraq's cosseted politicians finally announce who among them gets what in the new government, while ordinary Iraqis turn up dead and tortured, writes Nermeen El-Mufti

Hamas deploys militants on the streets of Gaza sparking fresh violence between Fatah loyalists and their Islamist counterparts, reports Erica Silverman

While the situation in Gaza has not yet pitched brother against brother, the increase in violence between Hamas and Fatah is alarming, writes Khaled Amayreh in the West Bank

The new Iraqi cabinet faces an uphill battle to restore order and achieve national reconciliation

Last week, Syrian State Security arrested 12 activists, including prominent human rights lawyer Anwar Al-Bunni (right) and well-known writer Michel Kilo, for signing a manifesto calling for improved relations between Syria and Lebanon. Human rights groups expect more arrests to follow.I’ve interviewed Anwar al-Bunni several times and hold him in the highest respect. He knows [...]

Five months after elections, and four weeks after a so-called political breakthrough, Iraq still lacks a government while killings and kidnappings continue, writes Nermeen El-Mufti

Real hunger is beginning to strike the Palestinians as the boycotting of Hamas continues and the elected movement in government stands firm, writes Khaled Amayreh in the West Bank

As the Quartet discusses how to bypass the democratically-elected Hamas-led government, Palestinians are running on empty, writes Erica Silverman

Iraqi political leaders continued to bicker over key ministerial posts while the country remained in the grip of violence.

Jordanian accusations against Hamas persist, as does widespread speculation as to why now, and why Hamas, reports Sana Abdallah in Amman

On May 18, Tunisian State Security officers prevented mourners from gathering to memorialize Adel Arfaoui at the headquarters of the Ligue Tunisienne des Droits de l’Homme (LTDH). Arfaoui was a teacher and a senior member of the LTDH. He died of heart problems on May 11. He was 45 years old, married, and had five [...]

Until now, no solution seems in the offing to the fiscal crisis facing Hamas and the Palestinian people, reports Erica Silverman

A peace deal for Darfur is in the offing, but real peace on the ground is a long way off, writes Gamal Nkrumah

Washington dismisses a letter sent to Bush by Ahmadinejad as negotiations continue in the Security Council over a binding ultimatum on Iran, Rasha Saad reports

Could the fourth year of the Iraq invasion see the country divided into several entities, asks Firas Al-Atraqchi