Posted on February 8th, 2011 by Marian Houk
Here is the extraordinary interview — that caused a sensation on Twitter — with Google marketing executive Wael Ghonim conducted by Egypt’s Dream TV at 10:00 pm on Monday night (7 February) just after Ghonim’s release from 12 days of detention during the massive protests around Egypt. Ghonim said he had been blindfolded the entire [...]
1 Comment »
Filed under: Egypt, Human Rights, USA
Posted on February 8th, 2011 by Marian Houk
American-Palestinian businessman Sam Bahour, an involved commentator living in Ramallah, has written an Op-Ed piece taking a look at the challenges facing the Egyptian protests through the lens of the Palestinian experience. Sam’s article can be read in full here or here. Here are some excerpts: “What we are witnessing is the removal and replacement [...]
No Comments »
Filed under: Blogging, Egypt, Human Rights, Palestine & Palestinians
Posted on February 7th, 2011 by Marian Houk
Mazin Qumsiyeh, academic, author + activist from Bethlehem, has written on the Window into Palestine blog, here, that: “I blog regularly about what is happening here especially what is not seen in mainstream media. I want to take this message to expose some things I have alluded to only marginally before and then issue a [...]
No Comments »
Filed under: Blogging, Egypt, Human Rights, Palestine & Palestinians
Posted on February 6th, 2011 by Marian Houk
Hundreds – and perhaps at least 1,000 people – showed up for a rally in Ramallah on Saturday that was called to support the freedom and democracy protests in Tunisia and especially now in Egypt. It was a brave act. Four previous demonstrations had been suppressed since December by Palestinian security — roughly, and sometimes brutally. “I’m supporting freedom, democracy and development”, said Mohamed, one of the organizers said after the event, “and whoever brings it to the Egyptian people, I will support”.
In all, four previous events were suppressed by the PA since December – including one in support of the Tunisia uprising, and the others in support of the Egyptian protests. Then, the PA declared a ban on all rallies. But, Saturday’s rally started off and remained peaceful – at least for the first hour or so. Organizers said later that they had not asked for permission, but they did comply with a statutory requirement to give prior notification to the police. Everything was fine, Mohamed said, until the departure of three Palestinian politicians who had participated in the event – independents Hanan Ashrawi and Mustafa Barghouthi, and Palestinian People’s Party leader Bassam al-Salhi. Then, chaos erupted. A few dozen Fatah supporters – some of them recognized as security personnel – suddenly showed up, carrying posters and waving the yellow flags of the Fatah movement. They pushed their way into the center of the crowd, and began chanting opposing slogans – in favor of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (“Eaysh Abbas” or “Long live Abbas”, and “Our demand is to keep Abbas”).
Then, the Fatah/Palestinian Preventive Security waded into group of those remaining, selecting other targeted demonstrators, grabbing and beating them and dragging them away. Later, those detained were handed over to PA police. Simultaneous, but much smaller, rallies were held in Bethlehem and East Jerusalem, and an earlier one was held in Nazareth on Saturday.
No Comments »
Filed under: Blogging, Egypt, Human Rights, Palestine & Palestinians
Posted on February 4th, 2011 by Marian Houk
In a move stunning in its timing and significance, Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu announced on Friday afternoon – with the Quartet’s Tony Blair standing by his side – that he now thinks it’s time, finally, to develop Palestinian-allocated offshore natural gas deposits buried under the eastern Mediterranean in maritime space, defined by mutual agreement [...]
No Comments »
Filed under: Boundaries & Borders, Cyprus, Egypt, Gaza, Israel, Law of the Sea Convention, Lebanon, Middle East Peace Process, Palestine & Palestinians, Quartet
Posted on February 4th, 2011 by Marian Houk
Today’s pro-democracy and anti-Mubarak protests in Egypt have been named “Departure Day”. The turnout in Tahrir Square is huge – many hundreds of thousands are present. So far, no attacks from pro-Mubarak mobs… This is an old photo (taken 24 June 2008) of Egyptian President Husni Mubarak’s small executive jet (in middle background) arriving at [...]
No Comments »
Filed under: Egypt
Posted on February 3rd, 2011 by Marian Houk
This is the picture posted today on one of the front pages of the U.S. State Department website: [The front page, here, has changing content -- if this picture doesn't turn up immediately, just enter the word "Egypt" in the search box on the opening page. The use of this photo is a real message [...]
No Comments »
Filed under: Blogging, Egypt, Human Rights, Journalism and Journalists, Transition, USA
Posted on February 2nd, 2011 by Marian Houk
…The tough have already gotten going. Last night, after Mubarak’s greatly-anticipated pre-recorded speech was broadcast to his nation and to the world, a new wave of pro-Mubarak people (many described as thugs, goons, some told journos they were state employees recruited for the occasion) were suddenly out on the streets of Egypt. It is now [...]
1 Comment »
Filed under: Egypt, Human Rights, USA
Posted on February 1st, 2011 by Marian Houk
UPDATE: Very late at night, after speaking to a special U.S. envoy (former Ambassador to Egypt Frank Wisner), Husni Mubarak made a pre-recorded statement to the country. He said the protests have been heard, but that he would stay until elections now set for September (he would not run, he said. Mubarak also said he [...]
No Comments »
Filed under: Egypt, Human Rights
