Arafat at Brave New Films

Scarborough Gets Embarrassed On His Own Show

2009-01-08T12:59:58Z

Missed Opportunities for Israel-Palestine Peace - Ned Temko

2009-01-08T12:50:28Z

Complete video at: fora.tv

Ned Temko, Chief Political Correspondent for the Observer magazine, acknowledges the many missed opportunities from both Israelis and Palestinians to negotiate peace agreements over the years, and sees the central problem of Zionism as the Arab majority in greater Israel which he says, "requires redefinition of what a Jewish state is."

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Despite its leaders' sometimes bellicose rhetoric and international reputation for intransigence, on closer examination Israel seems to be having an identity crisis in its sixtieth anniversary year.

Never-ending political crises and growing economic inequalities beg the question - does Israel risk imploding from within? - Battle of Ideas

Born in Washington DC, spent 15 years as a foreign correspondent. For five years, was the Christian Science Monitor's Chief Middle East Correspondent, covering not only Israel and the PLO and the Lebanese civil war but the wider Arab world and the aftermath of the revolution in Iran. Wrote To Win or To Die (biography of the late Israeli PM Menachem Begin, 1987). Was also based in Moscow (1981-84), Johannesburg (1986-87) and finally London (1987-90). Became editor of The Jewish Chronicle (1990-2005) before joining The Observer as Chief Political Correspondent.

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James Traub: Bush's Vision of the Middle East

2008-12-12T08:54:37Z

George Bush had "a visionary sense that the solution is not slow, incremental reform, but a kind of radical remaking and democratic transformation of the Middle East," says James Traub. And it didn't work.

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'Unveiled' Author Deborah Kanafani (1 of 6)

2009-01-08T12:43:31Z

Entire post with links: www.hotpotatomash.com

Deborah Kanafani is the author of the 2008 autobiography, "Unveiled: How An American Woman Found Her Way Through Politics, Love and Obedience in the Middle East," which details her marriage to Marwan Kanafani, a senior advisor and spokesperson for Yasser Arafat. Deborah also documents the stories of many of the courageous woman she encountered, including Queen Dina of Jordan and Yasser Arafat's wife Suha, while living in the Middle East.

Last Thursday in Los Angeles Deborah spoke about her book and her experiences...

Part 1 - Introduction (3:59)

Deborah opened by talking about her engagement and marriage to the "charming and dashing" Palestinian Marwan whom she met at the United Nations. But Deborah quickly discovered that she "lived with somebody that really had a very secret life" and that she had failed to understand his "connection to the Palestinian 'Cause.'"

After they were married the couple moved to Washington, D.C. where Marwan became the Arab League representative and Palestinian Ambassador. In the nation's capitol Deborah's life became very isolated because, "the world that those people live in -- not only diplomatic world but within the Palestinian political community -- is not a world where they like to let outsiders in."

Despite the isolation and some horrible circumstances of her marriage (see below), Deborah was able to find some positives in her situation: "The one good thing that happened, beside my two children, during the marriage was that I got to meet many fascinating women who were married to Arabic leaders. And these women just impressed me so much. They were strong, they were leaders in their own right. They were rebelling against the fundamentalism in their countries. They were fighting for women's rights. They were doing remarkable things."

"Unveiled" is the story of these women as well as Deborah's own journey.

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'Unveiled' Author Deborah Kanafani (2 of 6)

2009-01-08T12:43:31Z

See the entire talk/post with links: www.hotpotatomash.com

Part 2 - Yasser and Suha Arafat (8:42)

Despite talking to Yasser Arafat many times over the phone, Deborah did not meet the PLO leader until his first trip to the U.S. in 1993 to sign the Declaration of Principles with Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin which paved the way for limited Palestinian self-government in Gaza and the West Bank.

Upon meeting Arafat Deborah was sure that, "he knew that he had something that [she] would never have -- [her] husband's complete devotion."

Much of this segment, however, is dedicated to telling a couple of interesting stories about Suha Arafat who did not accompany her husband on his historic trip to the delight of Arafat's advisors who universally "hated" her. Much to their chagrin, however, Suha was still able to steal the spotlight during the signing statement from "her living room in Tunisia."

Deborah also reveals how Arafat's marriage to Suha was leaked to the press by Suha's mother who was worried about public perception of the relationship between Arafat and her daughter.

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'Unveiled' Author Deborah Kanafani (4 of 6)

2009-01-08T12:43:31Z

See the entire talk/post with links: www.hotpotatomash.com

Part 4 - Spying on Hamas and Kidnapped Children (9:53)

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Afshin Rattansi interviews Palestine's FM, Riyadh Al-Maliki

2008-11-12T13:05:49Z

Riyadh Al-Maliki speaks to Afshin Rattansi at the Non-Aligned Movement Conference in Tehran about divisions within the Palestine movement and accusations that Fatah has been killing Hamas movement members. He also talks about Senator Barack Obama

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MIR: Kosovo is not Palestine

2008-10-23T09:31:44Z

Kosovo declares independence from Serbia. Many Palestinians are talking about a similar move. Will a unilateral Palestinian declaration for independence succeed? And "if Kosovo, why not Palestine ?"

Answers to these questions and more on Link TV's Mosaic Intelligence Report.

For more info, go to www.linktv.org.

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Behind the wall, meeting Yasser Arafat

2009-01-08T12:23:15Z

Yasser Arafat talks about the Israeli wall built around the West Bank and about depleted uranium used against Palestinians

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Gallup Glance Around the Globe

2008-11-21T03:23:24Z

Palestinians on Fatah and Hamas, Americans rate Hillary's honesty, Australians assess their government's environmental policies, and Americans prioritize the environment over the economy.

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Arafat's nephew speaks to Al Jazeera 11-Nov-07

2008-10-22T15:29:56Z

Nasser al-Qedwa, the nephew of Yasser Arafat, the former Palestinian leader, speaks to Al Jazeera on the third anniversary of Arafat's death.

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