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Say no to the Wall
The students of the London School of Economics (LSE)
voted in an overwhelming majority to condemn the
building of Israel's so- called security fence and
demand its immediate dismantlement.
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NEWS & REPORTS
More violence hits
region
November saw terrorist attacks on
residential compounds in Riyadh that claimed the lives of
10 civilians and wounded a hundred others, similar
terrorist attacks on Jewish Synagogues in Istanbul that
killed a couple of dozens of civilians. November also
witnessed continuous violence in Palestine and Iraq.
Algeria is a very rich
nation in dire need of maintenance, renovation
by Kamal Sanjakdar
(ALGIERS)
Despite the revenues it draws from its booming
oil industry, Algeria is still far from being a prosperous
country. Poverty, unemployment, and underdevelopment are the
landmarks of its economy while violence and corruption are the
features of its politics.
Arabs should slam
attacks on Jews, says analyst
Two synagogues were bombed in
Istanbul and a Jewish school set on fire in France
was the provisional outcome of the last month’s attacks on
Jewish communities around the world.
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EDITORIALS
Drop your guns,
communicate
This issue marks Alternative’s first annual
anniversary. A year has passed ever since members of
Alternative’s team first sat together, scratched a few notes
on their notebook and later launched this online and its
parallel in print publication.
Leftists should
unite now
Leftists can no more afford the luxury of
internal rifts and conflicts. Fundamentalism, capitalism and
fascism are on the rise and leftists must realize that the
time has come to confront such encroaching dangers.
Lebanese rub their
heroes’ faces in mud
It is natural for all people to create or
invent a folk hero for them to admire and try to live up to
his teachings and legacy.
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Op-Ed
Lebanon’s
regional role is not enough for prosperity
by Kamal
Sanjakdar (BEIRUT)
In the past
month, Lebanon has been the focal point of international media
because of its relation with major international events and
because of its volatile political and economic situation.
A soundtrack for my
life, and probably for the lives of most other people
by Hasan Makki
(ARIZONA)
Have you ever caught yourself indulged so much
in something, that you are not only doing it but also watching
yourself do it? Most people say it happens mostly during
sports. The idea of running and sweating and coming out ahead
is indeed very cinematic.
Iraqi resistance
is as popular as the deposed dictator
by Sami Orfali (BAGHDAD)
On my way back home in al-Masbah area, four young
men jumped off their car holding Ak-47 and hand grenades. They
were trying to ambush Fadel al-Tamimi, one of the well off
personalities living in our neighborhood.
Women should stop guarding
their patriarchal society
by
Hussain Abdul-Hussain
Women’s rights are violated in the orient
thanks to the prevailing tribal patriarchal society, which is
ironically, guarded by most of the women in the Arab world.
Baghdad’s
activists enjoying the fruits of a toppled regime
by Rami al-Abed (AMMAN)
Foreign and Arab activists pride themselves for
what they perceive as the heroic activity they have been
pursuing in Iraq. Arab youth usually head to Baghdad with
foreign activists, and entrust themselves to building the
nation the way they see fit.
Arabs peacefully
“lobbying” in the US
by Nael Alameh
“I see Israel, and never mind saying it, as one
of the great outposts of democracy in the world, and a
marvelous example of what can be done, how desert land can be
transformed into an oasis of brotherhood and democracy. Peace
for Israel means security and that security must be a
reality”.
Islamic veil uncovers
intolerance in the world’s Western hemisphere
by
Maya Moussawi
It has become a boring routine for us Arabs:
waking up every day on a freshly constructed international
piece of news that questions and attacks our basic beliefs and
values.
Indymedia: A success
story of free speech and radical democracy
by
Hannah Wettig
The breaking news box of Indymedia Beirut
announces the arrests of two Union activists in
Iraq. An article about Samir Kuntar is featured in the middle
column. Below, you can find a collection of articles by the
activists Imad Mortada from Beirut and Dahr Jamail from Alaska
about their experiences in occupied Baghdad.
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FEATURES
Students elect
representatives
By Samer Mazloum (BEIRUT)
Similar to its uniqueness in organizing labor
protests, Lebanon also enjoys relative freedom when it comes
to student elections.
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HISTORY & CULTURE
Former premier describes
sectarianism as the obstacle to reform, democratic system
Former Prime Minister Salim Hoss said there
would never be reform until the nation rids itself of
sectarianism, which is also an obstacle to the growth of a
real democratic system in the country.
Book publishers finally
see a surge in sales after years of recession
Despite the coincidence of its timing with the
month of Ramadan, the 48th Arab Book Fair “surprisingly”
attracted a high number of visitors according to the fair’s
sponsors.
George Shami recounts
war story
Journalist George Shami, 62, disclosed his
revisionist rhetoric of the ideology of Lebanese combatants
during the civil war saying that most of them were deceived to
fight on behalf of sectarian leaders.
The story of founding a pan-Arab
organization in AUB
The collapse of the Ottoman Empire in 1918 had very
devastating effects on the Arab world forcing the Arabs to
look for an institution to unite them after they were left out
to dry by the western countries, who wanted to divide the
Middle East among themselves.
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Youth News
Israeli army
forcefully represses peaceful protests
by
Nada Muzaffar (TILKAREM)
Israeli soldiers and Border Police attacked
over 300 Palestinians and 30 internationals at the so called
“separation fence” in the Tulkarem region in November,
throwing teargas, percussion grenades and beating the
nonviolent protesters with batons.
LU’s 72,000 students
and 3,000 teachers on strike for the third week
Students and teachers at the Lebanese
University (LU) at the Lebanese University went on an open
strike on Nov. 17 that was still open by the beginning of
December, the date of sending these lines to print.
Pro-sovereignty
groups protest in France and in Lebanon
Pro-sovereignty groups including supporters of
former Army Commander General Michel Aoun’s Free Patriotic
Movement (FPM), the disbanded Lebanese Forces, the Phalange
rank and file and the National Liberal Party (NLP) held
demonstrations in France and Paris to protest what they
described as the “lack of independence” on November 22.
AUB Syria Alumni
holds fund-raising dinner for scholarship
The AUB Alumni Association in Syria said it is
due to hold its fund-raising dinner that will be held on Dec.
13. Proceeds of the dinner will go to the Syrian Alumni
Scholarship Fund that sponsors the education of “qualified and
needy Syrian students.”
New York’s Alumni
will give AUB a cancer center, other valuable contributions
They came from across the US, Lebanon and
beyond. Some traveled thousands of miles, others a couple of
hundred, a fortunate few just a few blocks. But far or near,
they all came with one primary objective: to celebrate their
Alma Mater, the American University of Beirut.
Impoverished Iraq attracts
exporters of the region, save for Lebanon
by Naji Issa (IRAQ)
Opening markets here and flooding it with
untaxed merchandise gave a bigger variety and more choice to
Iraqi consumers. However, it created a sense of psychological
poverty which was added to the lack of security.
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LIGHT NEWS
Tayyara min Waraq wins
praise, but draws criticism for missing details
Lovers of Lebanese movies had the chance in
November to watch the recent Lebanese movie co-produced with
European funding and direct by Randa Chahhal.
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