All posts tagged lebanon

Does an Israeli war with Iran mean another war with Hezbollah?

by Editors on February 27, 2012 in Arab World, Israel with Comments Off
Hezbollah graffiti in Beirut

Hezbollah graffiti in Beirut / Omar Chatriwala, Flickr

Nathan Patin - Tensions between Iran and Israel over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program may soon erupt into armed conflict. That is if we are to believe key officials in both the American and Israeli governments who have recently made statements to the effect that a preemptive Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, if it is to happen, will come sooner rather than later.

If the big question this spring whether or not Israel is going to attack Iran, the runner-up has to be how Iran would respond. Opinions are varied, ranging from Iran doing nothing to sparking a regional war. While much is still unknown of Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities, there does seem to be general agreement among experts, and certainly also among Israeli leaders, that casualties would be relatively low and thus not enough of a deterrent for an Israeli strike. But ballistic missiles aren’t the only means by which Iran can retaliate. Israel must also consider a possible barrage of missile attacks from Iranian proxies in Lebanon and Gaza.

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From MLK to Nablus: Fighting Institutionalized Racism and Ongoing Discrimination

by Editors on January 17, 2012 in Society & Culture, The Territories with 2 Comments

Clare Herceg - This week’s celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day offers us a unique opportunity to reflect on the significance of the Civil Rights Movement, the current situation of race relations in the United States, and some of the parallels that can be drawn between discrimination in the United States and Palestine.

The Civil Rights Movement was active from 1955 to 1968 and used a series of nonviolent tactics and methods of civil disobedience to secure equal legal rights for African Americans.  The movement culminated in the adoption of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed discrimination based on race; the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which reaffirmed the right of minorities to vote; and the Fair Housing Act of 1968, which outlawed discrimination in renting or purchasing housing.

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Racing the Sahara to Support Women and Youth in Palestine and Lebanon

by Christa Blackmon on October 19, 2011 in Society & Culture, The Territories with Comments Off

Earlier this month, Vice President of Worldwide Innovation at Pfizer Inc. Usama Malik took on the monumental task of competing in one of the world’s top endurance races and raise $25,000 for women and youth development for Tomorrow’s Youth Organization (TYO) in Nablus and Lebanon.

At five days and 156 miles over the Valley of the Whales in the Sahara desert in blistering heat, over soft sand and rocks, in addition to carrying camping equipment for that week, it would be a race that any hardened athlete would find difficult. But Malik, who has only taken up running in the past few years, was eager to rise to the occasion not only for the personal satisfaction that comes with completing the seemingly impossible, but also as a means to support a cause he genuinely believes.

Palestine Note caught up with Mr. Malik shortly after he returned to his home in New York to find out more about what motivates him, and what he hopes his fundraising will help accomplish not just for TYO, but also for the underprivileged in the areas in which they work.

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