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Interview with Palestinian poet and artist Farid Bitar
″I must either be the voice of sanity or justice″
Palestinian artist and poet Farid Bitar's work was recently included in Smokestack Books' "A Blade of Grass: New Palestinian Poetry", edited by Naomi Foyle. One of the 60 people allowed to enter the Gaza strip for a few hours during the Gaza Freedom March in 2009, Bitar talks to Valentina Viene about his activism and his art
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Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef
Jihadists, please blow here!
During the Arab Spring, satirist Bassem Youssef was loved and feared. Then he fled the country. Now he′s mocking in America. By Dunja Ramadan
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Arab response to Trump's Jerusalem decision
Walking a fine line
A little-noticed subtext to furious protests across the Middle East and North Africa against US President Donald J. Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is simmering anger at Arab governments. An essay by James M. Dorsey
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Saudi Arabia's foreign policy
Catalogue of political failures
The world of the Arab states is in dramatic decline. In this time of crisis, Saudi Arabia has stepped into a leadership role. According to Stefan Buchen, it is not up to the job
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US foreign policy
Donald Trump versus Middle East peace
The US decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel comes in defiance of overwhelming global opposition. The message is clear: the Trump administration is determined to dictate the Israeli version of peace with the Palestinians, rather than to mediate an equitable agreement between the two sides. By Daoud Kuttab
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″Christmas and the Qu′ran″
When love comes down
″Christmas and the Qu′ran″, Karl-Josef Kuschel′s scholarly examination of the Christmas story in the light of the New Testament and the Koran, digs deep to deliver a message of hope. Lucy James read the book
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Pew Research Center study
Islam does not stand in antithesis to the West
A study by the Washington-based Pew Research Center says the number of Muslims living in Europe is set to increase. But this is no reason to conjure up the spectre of an Islamisation of the West, says Loay Mudhoon
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Non-fiction: Pankaj Mishra's "Age of Anger"
The embittered majority
In his book "Age of Anger: the history of the present" the Indian author Pankaj Mishra sees global distortions as the result of a birth defect in European modernity. Stefan Weidner read the book
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Trump recognises Jerusalem as the capital of Israel
Whose idea was that?
With his official recognition of Jerusalem, the U.S. President is not acting in the interests of Jews in his country, but solely with the "blessing" of the Christian fundamentalists who long for the end-time battle, the apocalyptical Armageddon, says Armin Langer in his commentary
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Resolving the crisis in Libya
Another fine mess
How to resolve the conflict in Libya remains one of the most difficult and important questions facing policy-makers today. Given the complex attitudes towards foreign interventions on the ground, we need a clear strategy that will stand up to local, regional and international scrutiny. By Alison Pargeter
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Turkish-U.S. relations
Erdogan's Machiavellian motives
The Turkish president and his AKP party are adept at switching sides. Now they're embracing Putin and damning the United States. Why? Because an up-coming trial in America could potentially compromise Erdogan. By Bulent Mumay
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White terrorism
Murder on their minds
Islamist terror attacks often provoke loud, knee-jerk responses from politicians and the media alike. Yet when the attacker is not Muslim, they fall over themselves to downplay the situation. By Michael Thumann