The answer is no. But you wouldn't know it if you were watching Dan Senor on Hardball with Chris Mathews last night. Appearing to discuss the grave injustice he feels would be committed by allowing the American Muslim community to build a community center near ground zero, Dan Senor was introduced as...
Why Israel’s Blockade on Gaza Must End
Israel’s blockade of Gaza is counterproductive, immoral and illegal. Our government’s position on this flawed and tragic policy must change. We ask policymakers to consider the facts and work with our allies to end this policy. Doing so is in the best interest of the Palestinians, the Israelis, and our...
An Inhumane Blockade
Overview: Nearly 1.5 million Palestinians are trapped in Gaza, with 4 out of 5 depending on humanitarian aid agencies for basic necessities. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon described the suffering inflicted on the people of Gaza by the blockade as "unacceptable." The blockade's purpose was not merely to keep weapons...
The Gaza Blockade: Health in Crisis
The health situation in Gaza, already worrisome during the early period of the blockade, was severely exacerbated in the aftermath of Israel's assault on Gaza in 2008/09 (known as Operation Cast Lead), in which much of Gaza's infrastructure destroyed with the possibility of repair due to the blockade. According to...
People Trapped, Economy Strangled
Restriction of Movement: Under the blockade policy, Palestinians are forbidden to leave Gaza except in special cases. Those who can't leave Gaza include many patients who need to leave for necessary treatment. Movement inside Gaza is also restricted by a unilaterally imposed "buffer zone" along the inside of the walls...
A Proud Day for New York
Today, New York City's Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) voted 9 to 0 against granting historic protection to the building at 45-47 Park Place and eliminated the key hurdle propped up by anti-Muslim groups opposed to the Islamic center in Lower Manhattan. The project became a focal point of controversy given the views...
Arabs Don’t Care About Palestine? Don’t Bet On It.
There are bad polls, and then there are bad interpretations of polls. Putting them together (i.e. a bad interpretation of a bad poll) can create a mess of misinformation, which is exactly what the New York Times gave us this morning.Prominently featured on the op-ed page was a piece, "The...
Palin, Gingrich, and the Muslim Community Center in Manhattan
Much has been made of the controversy surrounding the building of an Islamic cultural center (which would include a mosque) in lower Manhattan. While anti-Muslim groups have caused a stir regarding the building of mosques anywhere and everywhere in the country, the controversy surrounding this particular Islamic community center gained...
Is My Hookah a Suspicious “Cultural Tradition”?
The journey of the Department of Justice's FBI Domestic Investigations and Operations Guidelines (DIOGs) has been a long and bumpy one. From the introduction of the DIOGs by Attorney General Ashcroft in 2002, to the authority being changed three times by the Bush administration to expand the FBI surveillance authorities...
With enforcement of Arizona's notorious immigration law, SB 1070, set to begin today, a Phoenix district court judge ruled yesterday to put the law on hold. Judge Susan Bolton enjoined the most controversial sections of SB 1070. Bolton agreed with the Department of Justice’s law suit claiming the federal government has principal authority to both...
