Month: July 2006

Appeal from American University in Beirut

I am passing on this appeal from the AUB for donations to help the refugees from South Lebanon. Not that long ago I was walking through its beautiful campus…

Also take a look at this interview with John Waterbury, AUB’s dean, who says “We may be looking at a situation where we have to write off the last eight or nine years.”


An appeal from the American University of Beirut to its alumni, friends, faculty, staff and students

July 23, 2006

Facing the Challenge The American University of Beirut is once again at the forefront of efforts to care for those who are suffering in Lebanon. Along with other NGOs, the men and women affiliated with AUB and its hospital are providing critical services to those in need. We will do everything we can to take care of those who need our help. We have done it before. Our commitment to do so is just as strong today.

We expect, however, that the demand for AUB’s services will continue to grow as more and more families seek refuge in and around Beirut. Today, more than 500,000 men, women, and children have been displaced as a result of the conflict.

Continue reading Appeal from American University in Beirut

New Lebanon pics on Flickr

More pictures have been posted to the Flick account. As always, be warned: some of the pictures are extremely graphic.

You should also check out the Save Lebanon group on Flickr, which I have just joined. They have a lot more pictures.

Incidentally, I’d like to thank the person behind Shootin’ the breeze, a photography website, for having donated a Flickr Pro account after seeing the picture. It will really help with the traffic the account is getting. And I’d also like to thank all the Flickr viewers who have emailed to express their dismay at the pictures. But the real hero of this story is Hanady Salman, the As-Safir newspaper editor who is sending the pictures. Let’s hope he and his family stay safe.

Palestinian Boys Sleep Next To Mock Graves Of Arab Rulers During A Protest In Rafah Refugee Camp Against The Lack Of Arab Support For Palestinians In Gaza And Lebanon July 23 Reuters

Palestinian boys sleep next to mock graves of Arab rulers during a protest in Rafah refugee camp against the lack of Arab support for Palestinians in Gaza and Lebanon July 23.

An Injured Lebanese Woman 2 From The Southern Village Of Al-Tiri Is Seen At A Hospital In Tyre 23 July Following Israeli Air Strikes On A Convoy Of People Fleeing Afp

An injured woman from the village of al-Titi in South Lebanon.

In A Beirut Hospital Safir Abs

Another innocent Lebanese victim.

20060724124350
Reem Shahrour, 18 months old, Rashidieh

ME Politics 101

Here’s an AP story building on the recent news reports about a new initiative whereby Egypt and Saudi Arabia would intervene to try to sway Syria away from its alliance with Iran and Hizbollah–in an very classic exchange for a promise from Washington not to give them any headaches about this annoying democracy thing.
Though the AP story was good quality reporting, the title was rather funny: “Moderate Arabs look to curb militants.� “Moderate Arabs�? AP’s standards for political “moderation� seem to lie in how close the regime is to DC. One regime may sodomize dissidents, the other beheads them, but still according to AP they are “moderates.�

Moderate Arabs look to curb militants

By Steven R. Hurst and Salah Nasrawi

CAIRO, Egypt — Egypt and Saudi Arabia – both with strained U.S. ties – are working to entice Syria to end support for Hezbollah, a move that is central to resolving the conflict in Lebanon and unhitching Damascus from its alliance-of-convenience with Iran, the Shiite Muslim guerrillas’ other main backer, Arab diplomats and analysts said Sunday.

The two Arab heavyweights were prepared to spend heavily from Egypt’s political capital in the region and Saudi Arabia’s vast financial reserves to rein in Hezbollah as well as the Hamas militants now running the Palestinian government. In return, Washington would ease pressure on its moderate Arab allies for broad democratic reform, the diplomats and analysts said.

Continue reading ME Politics 101

Beirut help needed to save archive

Arabist reader Zazou has passed on a call for help to save important academic archives in Beirut:

If you know anyone (preferably British) who is in Beirut, and who is about to be evacuated, would you please see if they are willing to help save a very valuable archive of Palestinian oral history?

– BACKGROUND

Diana Allan, an anthropologist at Harvard, has worked with Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, particularly Shatila, and collected precious oral testimonies of 1948 survivors. She has hundreds of hours of testimonies, comprising of 750 DVD’s. Needless to say, this is a major treasure for our community and, as far as we know, nobody has done this work as extensively and thoroughly as Diana has.

– SITUATION & NEED

We need to salvage this valuable archive by getting it out of Beirut asap, preferably with foreigners being evacuated. The evacuees are only allowed a small bag, but the British embassy has agreed to let this be carried and not count as part of someone’s baggage allowance, but conditional on having someone to carry it and take responsibility for it. It is 15 kg. So… if you know anyone (preferably British, otherwise they would need to be willing to carry it at the expense of their personal belongings) who is trustworthy and willing to take this… please let us know right away!!

– CONTACT

Please contact Diana at dallan AT fas.harvard.edu.

I also have a phone number in Ramallah for anyone who might help, just leave a comment or email issandr AT arabist.net

Latest developments

Latest death toll is 362 (most civilians) in Lebanon, 34 (most soldiers) in Israel. From Reuters:

July 22 (Reuters) – Here are developments in the Middle East on the 11th day of Israel’s bombardment of Lebanon.

* Israeli soldiers oust Hizbollah guerrillas from hilltop village of Maroun al-Ras, a stronghold just inside Lebanon, where six Israeli commandos have been killed this week.

* Israel says no full-scale invasion set for now.

* More than 40 rockets fired by Hizbollah hit towns across northern Israel, injuring 16 people, damaging three houses and setting cars ablaze.

Continue reading Latest developments