AP Photo in a field of flowers: “My father and one of my brothers are refugees in Lebanon's camps, my other three brothers are refugees in Turkey and I am, with my husband, a refugee in Jordan,” she says. “The war ripped everything from us. All I wish is to be reunited with my family back in our village.”

FILE - In this Monday, March 9, 2015 file photo, Syrian refugee Montaha Ali hangs her laundry near her tent at an informal tented settlement in Al-Aghwar, Jordan, near the border with Israel. “My father and one of my brothers are refugees in Lebanon's camps, my other three brothers are refugees in Turkey and I am, with my husband, a refugee in Jordan,” she says. “The war ripped everything from us. All I wish is to be reunited with my family back in our village.” (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen, File)

"The position of the United States with respect to our long expressed hope, the Republicans and the Democrats alike (and) many presidents of the last 50 years or more, has always been for peace and President Obama remains committed to a two-state solution," Kerry

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry speaks during a press conference at an economic conference, in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, Saturday, March 14, 2015. Kerry said he hopes Israel elects a government that can address the country's domestic needs and also "meets the hope for peace." Kerry said whatever decision Israeli voters make in the election Tuesday, he hopes there will be the chance to move forward on peace efforts afterward. (AP Photo/Thomas Hartwell)

US President Barack Obama (centre) looks on as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) shakes hands with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas before a 2009 meeting in New York (AFP Photo/Jim Watson)

On Friday, Kerry held talks on the peace process with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Jordan's King Abdullah II.

The four discussed creating an environment to "push forward the peace process to reach a comprehensive and just peace in the region," Sisi's office said after they met.

http://news.yahoo.com/obama-committed-two-state-solution-israel-palestinians-095413959.html

AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]

Obama 'committed' to two-state solution for Israel, Palestinians

Sharm el Sheikh (Egypt) (AFP) - US President Barack Obama is "committed" to a two-state solution for Israel and Palestinians, Secretary of State John Kerry said Saturday on the stalled Middle East peace process....READ MORE

My letter PUBLISHED in the New York Times: Suffering in Gaza: Who Is to Blame?

Gaza Strip - Times Topics - The New York Times: World news about the Gaza Strip. Breaking news and archival information about its people, politics and economy from The New York Times:  Salma Najjar, 64, sits outside a makeshift tent on the rubble of her home in Khuzaa in the southeast of the Gaza Strip. Photo Credit Wissam Nassar for The New York Times

Suffering in Gaza: Who Is to Blame?

Readers respond to a column by Nicholas Kristof.

March 10, 2015

To the Editor:

Hamas opportunists and Islamic Jihad have been horrible for Palestine. They call themselves freedom fighters, but there is no freedom and there will never be justice or peace with religious tyranny, militancy, hatemongering, bully tactics and violence, making the very real plight of the Palestinians substantially worse at every turn.

Religion should be a personal choice, not a mandate and a recruitment tool for criminal enterprises.

Diplomacy and careful negotiations based on full respect for human rights, international law and the Golden Rule in order to create a secular two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are the best way forward.

ANNE SELDEN ANNAB

Mechanicsburg, Pa.

original letter sent March 8, 2015  RE Winds of War in Gaza by Nicholas Kristof

Palestine pre-1948 (video)

Hussein Ibish: Israel’s new indifference to the occupation is toxic...."Israel’s dominance over the Palestinians has reached a stage where, when they want to, Israelis can actually completely ignore the reality of the Palestinian people and get away with it."

Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses a joint session of the US Congress. Mandel Ngan / AFP

Hussein Ibish

March 7, 2015

"The most important thing about the Israeli prime minister’s speech before a joint session of the US Congress was what he didn’t say. Benjamin Netanyahu never uttered a word about the Palestinians. This astonishing evasion has become the standard Jewish Israeli response to the existence of the Palestinian people and of their national movement. Palestinians have simply been written out of the equation in most facets of official and unofficial mainstream Jewish Israeli discourse. A number of leading Palestinians have complained that Israelis have become “blind” to them. It’s an apt metaphor.

Israelis increasingly speak and, presumably, think about their national, strategic and security challenges as if there were not 2.5 million Palestinians in the West Bank, 200,000 more in East Jerusalem and another 1.6 million in Gaza.

It’s a striking change because in the past, Israelis spoke openly, and almost obsessively, about the “Palestinian problem”. Those were times when the dimensions of the “problem” were, in every respect, much less challenging than they are now. Even when their discourse was characterised by rage, Israelis in the 1980s, 1990s and even the 2000s generally recognised that the Palestinians and the occupation were vital national security issues, and indeed existential ones."...READ MORE

Hussein Ibish is a senior fellow at the American Task Force on ­Palestine

On Twitter: @ibishblog

***

AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]

My letter to the NYTimes RE Winds of War in Gaza by Nicholas Kristof

Rubble and bombed-out buildings, like these east of Gaza City, dot Gaza six months after the latest war. NYTimes Credit Mohammed Saber/European Pressphoto Agency

RE Winds of War in Gaza by Nicholas Kristof
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/08/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-winds-of-war-in-gaza.html?ref=opinion

Dear Editor,

Hamas opportunists and Islamic Jihad have been horrible for Palestine.  They call themselves freedom fighters, but there is no freedom and there won't ever be justice or peace with religious tyranny, militancy, hate mongering, bully tactics and violence making the very real plight of the Palestinians substantially worse at every turn.

Religion should be a personal, private choice- not a tax payer funded mandate and a recruitment tool for criminal enterprises.

Diplomacy and careful negotiations based on full respect for human rights, international law, and Golden Rule thinking to create a fully secular two state end to the Israel-Palestine conflict is the best way forward for everyone's sake.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab
American homemaker & poet

NOTES
" Growing up as a person of African descent in Sweden made me hungry for role models, so I read about the fight for civil rights in America with fascination. As I took photos around the world, I saw that I was not alone. Blacks and other minorities I met in Europe, South America and the Middle East looked toward leaders like the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as beacons of hope." Revisiting Selma by Malin Fezehai

"So much of our turbulent history — the stain of slavery and anguish of civil war, the yoke of segregation and tyranny of Jim Crow, the death of four little girls in Birmingham, and the dream of a Baptist preacher — met on this bridge," Obama told the crowd under a broiling sun. "It was not a clash of armies, but a clash of wills; a contest to determine the meaning of America. "

"The attacks of 9/11 and the spreading threat of Islamic extremists have further strengthened American evangelicals’ sense of kinship with Jews in Israel, whom they see as crucial partners in fighting butchers who have recently singled out Christians for slaughter." Benjamin Netanyahu, John Boehner and America’s Evangelicals by Frank Bruni

"Gaza has been compared to an open-air prison, and, in the years I’ve been coming here, that has never felt more true, partly because so many Gazans are now literally left in the open air. But people joke wryly that at least prisons have reliable electricity." Winds of War in Gaza by Nicholas Kristof

Jihadists May Have Wrecked an Ancient Iraqi Site

ISIS Onslaught Engulfs Assyrian Christians as Militants Destroy Ancient Art

"On Nov. 18, 2013, Ms. Badwan said, she was harassed by Hamas officers while helping with a youth arts program. They questioned why she was standing with men. They chastised her for wearing those jean overalls and made her sign a paper promising not to go outside without loosely fitting, traditional Islamic garb."

"The battle against extremism can’t be really joined, let alone won, until the key societies, especially the United States and its key Arab allies, begin to seriously fund, support and promote the moderates in the trenches. Wealthy extremists have been very generous to their allies, which has been a major factor in the growth of terrorism in the Middle East. The mainstream has been a lot less forthcoming. Countless Arab and Muslim organisations around the world are struggling to promote one aspect or another of moderate politics or religiosity, but find themselves unable to secure even the most modest funding. Until that changes, we’re likely to hear more talk about the need for new narratives, but very little movement in that direction." Hussein Ibish We must tackle extremist ideas on multiple fronts

World Press Roundup: Middle East News

Think on: Banksy's tour of a ruined Gaza

"I paint; there are no galleries to show what I paint. A woman and an artist at the same time — this is a catastrophe.” Palestinian artist Nidaa Badwan. NYTIMES: "Ms. Badwan speaks in poetry and moves, in rainbow-striped socks, like a dancer. When a truck rolled by outside blaring Hamas slogans, she made a sour face and yanked the window shut... READ MORE & share the link.

Global Citizenship... laying the foundation for a culture of peace

To honor a tragic history, we must work for peace : "The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine." Ziad Asali

The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

STAY CONNECTED... Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to: Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries

... Ibrahim's Estate... The Promised Land: In Celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights & Peace Day

Tala Haikal: Empathy Is Essential to Humanity

Hussein Ibish: Non-violent resistance is Palestine’s most powerful weapon

ATFP Calls for De-Escalation between Israel and the Palestinians

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON ...

 “Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens.” Khalil Gibran (1883-1931), born in Lebanon, immigrated to the United States in 1895 where he grew up to become a beloved poet and respected writer.

"There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies" Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 – 1968) American minister, humanitarian and social activist- a cherished leader of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, whose inspiring words continue to influence and empower diplomatic efforts to bring more justice, more security, more peace and more jobs to more people, every one and every where.

"We are brothers. It's not a question of Jews, of Christians or of Muslims. We're all in the same boat, we have to help each other to get out of this crisis." Lassana Bathily

IBISH: Clarifying why Arab and Muslim Americans should be smart rather than stupid

AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]

My letter to the NYTimes RE Netanyahu’s Nuclear Deceptions & What Bibi Didn’t Say & Mr. Netanyahu’s Unconvincing Speech to Congress

Learn more and sign up for ATFP's news roundup at http://www.americantaskforce.org/

 

RE Netanyahu’s Nuclear Deceptions & What Bibi Didn’t Say & Mr. Netanyahu’s Unconvincing Speech to Congress
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/04/opinion/benjamin-netanyahus-nuclear-deceptions-on-iran.html?ref=opinion
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/04/opinion/thomas-friedman-what-bibi-netanyahu-didnt-say.html?ref=opinion
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/04/opinion/netanyahu-israel-unconvincing-iran-speech-to-congress.html?ref=opinion

Dear Editor,

Our Congress's rapturous applause for Israel's Netanyahu was creepy- and misguided.  This is what our Congress really needs to hear: "Israeli extremists set fire to a Greek Orthodox seminary in the Old City of Jerusalem on Thursday and sprayed hate slogans on the walls, police said" and this "On Tuesday, extremist Jewish settlers set fire to a mosque in the southern West Bank town of al-Jaba west of Bethlehem, locals told Ma'an." Israeli extremists set fire to Christian seminary in Jerusalem Maan News 2-26-2015

And this: "Israeli aggression and the occupation of Palestinian territories have always been of major propaganda value for extremist recruitment... During the quarter-century that Mr. Netanyahu and his allies have tried to keep Iran’s nuclear program at the forefront of the global agenda, they increased the number of illegal settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem to more than 750,000 from about 300,000. At the same time, Palestinians have continued to be evicted from their homes and land. This historic wrong, coupled with the blockade of Gaza, is the real ticking bomb in the Middle East. The whole world should work to defuse it by rising above petty politics and the lobbying of narrow-minded pressure groups." (Ambassador to the United Nations, Gholamali Khoshroo in the NYTimes 3-4-2015)

And this: "Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to: Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries..."  Diplomacy in Action- U.S. Department of State

And this: To honor a tragic history, we must work for peace : "The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine." Palestinian-American, ATFP (American Task Force on Palestine) founder Ziad Asali.

With the internet and the right priorities we, the people, have the power to help shape algorithms, conversations, organizations, and individuals that empower decency, dignity, justice & peace... and hopefully Palestine.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab
American homemaker & poet

NOTES
"The battle against extremism can’t be really joined, let alone won, until the key societies, especially the United States and its key Arab allies, begin to seriously fund, support and promote the moderates in the trenches. Wealthy extremists have been very generous to their allies, which has been a major factor in the growth of terrorism in the Middle East. The mainstream has been a lot less forthcoming. Countless Arab and Muslim organisations around the world are struggling to promote one aspect or another of moderate politics or religiosity, but find themselves unable to secure even the most modest funding. Until that changes, we’re likely to hear more talk about the need for new narratives, but very little movement in that direction." Hussein Ibish We must tackle extremist ideas on multiple fronts

World Press Roundup: Middle East News

Think on: Banksy's tour of a ruined Gaza

"I paint; there are no galleries to show what I paint. A woman and an artist at the same time — this is a catastrophe.” Palestinian artist Nidaa Badwan. NYTIMES: "Ms. Badwan speaks in poetry and moves, in rainbow-striped socks, like a dancer. When a truck rolled by outside blaring Hamas slogans, she made a sour face and yanked the window shut... READ MORE & share the link.

Global Citizenship... laying the foundation for a culture of peace

To honor a tragic history, we must work for peace : "The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine." Ziad Asali

The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

STAY CONNECTED... Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to: Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries

... Ibrahim's Estate... The Promised Land: In Celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights & Peace Day

Tala Haikal: Empathy Is Essential to Humanity

Hussein Ibish: Non-violent resistance is Palestine’s most powerful weapon

ATFP Calls for De-Escalation between Israel and the Palestinians

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON ...

 “Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens.” Khalil Gibran (1883-1931), born in Lebanon, immigrated to the United States in 1895 where he grew up to become a beloved poet and respected writer.

"There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies" Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 – 1968) American minister, humanitarian and social activist- a cherished leader of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, whose inspiring words continue to influence and empower diplomatic efforts to bring more justice, more security, more peace and more jobs to more people, every one and every where.

"We are brothers. It's not a question of Jews, of Christians or of Muslims. We're all in the same boat, we have to help each other to get out of this crisis." Lassana Bathily

IBISH: Clarifying why Arab and Muslim Americans should be smart rather than stupid

AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]

My letter to the NYTimes RE The Islamic State’s Most Recent Victims & For Artist in Gaza, a Small Refuge of Beauty

One of Ms. Badwan’s self-portraits from her artistic project, “100 Days of Solitude.” Credit Nidaa Badwan The artist Nidaa Badwan has hardly left her small room for more than a year, creating her own world of color and a striking set of self-portraits. 

RE The Islamic State’s Most Recent Victims & For Artist in Gaza, a Small Refuge of Beauty
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/28/opinion/the-islamic-states-most-recent-victims.html?ref=opinion
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/28/world/middleeast/finding-gaza-unbearable-artist-creates-her-own-world-in-one-room.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=photo-spot-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

Dear Editor,

Your editorial "The Islamic State’s Most Recent Victims" was perfect. Every gripping sentence summary and conclusion, perfect.  So was Nicholas Kristof's column earlier this week "The Human Stain" so aptly subtitled "Israel squanders political capital and antagonizes even its friends with its naked land grab in the West Bank."

Adding in the alluring art of Palestinian Nidaa Badwan featured in The Saturday Profile For Artist in Gaza, a Small Refuge of Beauty, I find my self frankly shocked and actually hopeful as a much more balanced and helpful understanding of the Middle East takes hold in the influential New York Times. 

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

NOTES
World Press Roundup: Middle East News

Global Citizenship... laying the foundation for a culture of peace

To honor a tragic history, we must work for peace : "The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine." Ziad Asali

The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

STAY CONNECTED... Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to: Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries

... Ibrahim's Estate... The Promised Land: In Celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights & Peace Day

Tala Haikal: Empathy Is Essential to Humanity

Hussein Ibish: Non-violent resistance is Palestine’s most powerful weapon

ATFP Calls for De-Escalation between Israel and the Palestinians

 “Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens.” Khalil Gibran (1883-1931), born in Lebanon, immigrated to the United States in 1895 where he grew up to become a beloved poet and respected writer.

"There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies" Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 – 1968) American minister, humanitarian and social activist- a cherished leader of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, whose inspiring words continue to influence and empower diplomatic efforts to bring more justice, more security, more peace and more jobs to more people, every one and every where.

"We are brothers. It's not a question of Jews, of Christians or of Muslims. We're all in the same boat, we have to help each other to get out of this crisis." Lassana Bathily

IBISH: Clarifying why Arab and Muslim Americans should be smart rather than stupid

AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]

Bansky... A Kitten (in Gaza)... The street artist, who previously created works on the wall of the West Bank, has made a series of new paintings across ruins in Palestine

banksy

A local man came up and said 'Please - what does this mean?' I explained I wanted to highlight the destruction in Gaza by posting photos on my website – but on the internet people only look at pictures of kittens.#banksy #gaza

 The Guardian

Think on: Banksy's tour of a ruined Gaza 

The street artist, who previously created works on the wall of the West Bank, has made a series of new paintings across ruins in Palestine 

[AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]

A Rodin-riffing new work from Banksy amid devastation in Gaza. All photos: banksy.co.uk

My letter to the NYTimes RE Room for Debate: Terror and the Palestinian Authority

Syrian refugee boys walk inside their destroyed tent at Zaatari Syrian refugee Camp, Jordan, 21 February, after bad weather hit Jordan.There are currently 3.2 million Syrian refugees.(Photo: JAMAL NASRALLAH, EPA) USA Today YEAR OF THE REFUGEE column by Eric P. Schwartz and M. Zuhdi Jasser..."When political leaders fully embrace the idea that freedom and tolerance are antidotes to perpetual instability and strife, the end to the refugee nightmare will be closer at hand."

RE: Terror and the Palestinian Authority
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/02/24/terror-and-the-palestinian-authority

Dear Editor,

It was interesting to read the different perspectives on terror and the recent $655.5 million verdict against the Palestinian Authority and the P.L.O.. I think Nadia Hijab's contribution "Abbas, Who’s Tried to Keep the Peace, Now Must Pay for Violence " was most helpful in summing up the very real plight of the Palestinians by calmly pointing out vitally important, highly relevant aspects such as the fact that " Meanwhile Israel’s illegal settlement enterprise remorselessly swallows up Palestinian land." ... and the fact that " The United States and Europe already pick up much of the bill for the P.A.’s economic survival..."

US efforts to help Palestinians also include massive amounts funding UNWRA, which has kept Palestinian refugees alive for decades while Israel myopically refuses to respect international law and the universal right for refugees to return to original homes and lands to live in peace. 

The Israel-Palestine conflict with all its many negative ramifications is obviously a cruel situation and an escalating tragedy that needs to end. How do we go from here to there? 

The one state fantasy that inspires various activists to dismiss the crucial importance of compassion, diplomacy, negotiations, and mainstream efforts to actually end the conflict ends up fueling extremism, militancy, corruption and blame games (on all sides) that only make the situation worse.

Two fully sovereign secular states named Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security offer the only way out that actually ends the conflict.  Real freedom, justice and equality are a worthy goal, for everyone. John Legend's wonderful Oscar winning Best Original Song "Glory" from the movie Selma has some very good advice on that score: "The biggest weapon is to stay peaceful"

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

NOTES

Muslims Must Learn to Define Themselves: The inspirational Muslim-Jewish action over the weekend in Norway has to serve as a model for the majority of Muslims who want peace. 

“We must kill the prejudices we have and move on from hate,”.... More than 1,000 people formed a "ring of peace" on Saturday night outside Oslo's main synagogue at the initiative of a group of young Muslims. 

14-year-old #Palestinian girl jailed by #Israel for stone-throwing maintains innocence http://gu.com/p/46x27/stw

Have We Got ISIS All Wrong? http://huff.to/18dwxLO  via @theworldpost

Why Calling ISIS Islamic Only Plays Into Its Hands http://thebea.st/1COMQZz  via @TheDeansreport

Extremism is a shallow concept, an easy answer in a complicated world... Finding knowledge that's unclouded http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/upfront-blog/2015/0218/Finding-knowledge-that-s-unclouded?cmpid=addthis_twitter …

The ISIS Theater of Cruelty...EXCELLENT op-ed by #IBISH in the NYTimes!!! #diplomacy #ATFP #hope http://nyti.ms/1G1xSA9

Obama: Extremism fight is 'battle for hearts and minds' http://usat.ly/1A5tWxx  via @usatoday

Only fools confuse religion and criminality- a very good op-ed by Rami G. Khouri #Islam http://shar.es/1WbKv2  via @DailyStarLeb

Jordan condemns Daesh 'cowardly' execution of 21 Egyptians in Libya http://jordantimes.com/share-content/jordan-condemns-daesh-cowardly-execution-of-21-egyptians-in-libya.html … via @JordanTimes

World Press Roundup: Middle East News

The Net ... a poem

Forwards ...a poem

The Connectors ... a poem

Mideast Quartet calls for speedy resumption of peace talks... "Pending the resumption of negotiations, the Quartet called on both parties to refrain from actions that undermine trust or prejudge final status issues."

Global Citizenship... laying the foundation for a culture of peace

To honor a tragic history, we must work for peace : "The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine." Ziad Asali

STAY CONNECTED... Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to: Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries

The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

... Ibrahim's Estate... The Promised Land: In Celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights & Peace Day

Tala Haikal: Empathy Is Essential to Humanity

Hussein Ibish: Non-violent resistance is Palestine’s most powerful weapon

ATFP Calls for De-Escalation between Israel and the Palestinians

 “Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens.” Khalil Gibran (1883-1931), born in Lebanon, immigrated to the United States in 1895 where he grew up to become a beloved poet and respected writer.

"There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies" Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 – 1968) American minister, humanitarian and social activist- a cherished leader of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, whose inspiring words continue to influence and empower diplomatic efforts to bring more justice, more security, more peace and more jobs to more people, every one and every where.

"We are brothers. It's not a question of Jews, of Christians or of Muslims. We're all in the same boat, we have to help each other to get out of this crisis." Lassana Bathily

IBISH: Clarifying why Arab and Muslim Americans should be smart rather than stupid

My letter to the NYTimes RE The ISIS Theater of Cruelty By HUSSEIN IBISH

Conscientiously refusing to, in any way shape or form, accidentally promote the image and ugliness of Daesh/ISIS/ISIL/The Islamic State (or whatever you want to call it), and I've blogged my unpublished letter with a beautiful painting by Magritte.

The Return (Le Retour) by René Magritte 1940 oil painting... WIKIART: "Rene Magritte’s witty and thought-provoking paintings sought to have viewers question their perceptions of reality, and become hypersensitive to the world around them."

RE: The ISIS Theater of Cruelty By HUSSEIN IBISH
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/19/opinion/the-isis-theater-of-cruelty.html?ref=opinion

[AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]

Dear Editor,

Daesh/ISIS/ISIL/The Islamic State (or whatever you want to call it) has viral violent videos as part of their recruiting tool kit, but I think we must also assume they have a plethora of much more subtle propaganda and a whole arsenal of psychological warfare tricks aimed at silencing dissent:  Please don't let any one bully you away from publishing more- much much more- of the brilliant Hussein Ibish's exceptionally relevant and helpful analysis on the situation in the Middle East.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

NOTES
World Press Roundup: Middle East News

The Net ... a poem

Forwards ...a poem

The Connectors ... a poem

Mideast Quartet calls for speedy resumption of peace talks... "Pending the resumption of negotiations, the Quartet called on both parties to refrain from actions that undermine trust or prejudge final status issues."

Global Citizenship... laying the foundation for a culture of peace

To honor a tragic history, we must work for peace : "The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine." Ziad Asali

STAY CONNECTED... Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to: Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries

The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

... Ibrahim's Estate... The Promised Land: In Celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights & Peace Day

Tala Haikal: Empathy Is Essential to Humanity

Hussein Ibish: Non-violent resistance is Palestine’s most powerful weapon

ATFP Calls for De-Escalation between Israel and the Palestinians

 “Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens.” Khalil Gibran (1883-1931), born in Lebanon, immigrated to the United States in 1895 where he grew up to become a beloved poet and respected writer.

"There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies" Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 – 1968) American minister, humanitarian and social activist- a cherished leader of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, whose inspiring words continue to influence and empower diplomatic efforts to bring more justice, more security, more peace and more jobs to more people, every one and every where.

"We are brothers. It's not a question of Jews, of Christians or of Muslims. We're all in the same boat, we have to help each other to get out of this crisis." Lassana Bathily

IBISH: Clarifying why Arab and Muslim Americans should be smart rather than stupid