Creating new perspectives since 2009
Items by Jehan Alfarra
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How did Twitter react to Trump’s threats of aid cuts to the PA?
In a series of tweets on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump threatened to withhold future aid payments to Palestinians, accusing them of being “no longer willing to talk peace” with Israel”. …peace treaty with Israel. We have taken Jerusalem, the toughest part of the negotiation, off the table, but...
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Samah Jabr on being one of only 22 psychiatrists in the West Bank
Samah Jabr is one of the first female psychiatrists in Palestine, and one of only 22 psychiatrists serving the occupied West Bank’s 2.5 million strong population. Born in Jerusalem, Jabr grew up as a resident with no citizenship rights. Throughout her life, she was exposed to life under military...
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Syria: Recipes from Home
Syria has become overshadowed by the clutches of conflict and war, leaving millions scattered across the world. Yet amidst the destruction, Syrian culinary culture has endured, because wherever they go, Syrians endeavour to recreate dishes that remind them of home; that is the essence of Dina Mousawi and Itab...
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Saudi women are the driving force behind Twitter storm
The news took us all by surprise yesterday when Saudi Arabia’s King Salman issued a royal order that will allow women to get behind the wheel, ending the long-standing ban on women driving in the Kingdom. The decree ordered the establishment of a high-level committee which will be tasked...
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A Moroccan story through fashion
London Fashion Week kicked off in the British capital last week and for the first time included a debut of Moroccan fashion as Stories from Morocco was launched....
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Bringing hope to Syria this Christmas through song
School children sing at the Singing for Syrians in the House of Commons...
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Dubai flies in to the future with new air taxis
Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) announced that it will begin testing a two-passenger autonomous aerial taxi (AAT) later this year. You might think the photos are out of a science fiction film or a futuristic cartoon, but they are not. This is actually happening in Dubai in 2017....
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Galilee Quartet: Playing for peace, love and humanity
From Beethoven symphonies to songs by legendary Arab singers such as Fairuz and Um Kalthoum, the Saad siblings’ exceptional performances have captivated crowds in Europe and in the Middle East...
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The UK has woken up to a hung parliament: #GE2017 explained
Here is what you need to know about the 2017 UK General Election....
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Is British policy shifting more towards Israel under Theresa May?
Europal Forum held a round-table discussion in London on Tuesday looking at British policy on Palestine as well as the current reality and possible future directions. The aim of the event was to “explore the UK’s stated position but also consider whether the public statements are in line with...
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#PayPal4Palestine
A massive campaign has been making the rounds on social media calling on the global online payments system PayPal to offer its services to Palestinians in the Occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip. To work around the physical barriers and trade restrictions imposed as a result of the...
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The Nakba Explained
The State of Israel was formed following the mass expulsion of nearly a million Palestinians. We take a look back at what happened. ...
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Dressed as a chef, Palestinian completes London Marathon
MEMO's Jehan Alfarra speaks to Mohammed AlQadi, the Palestinian chef who ran the London Marathon holding the Palestinian flag and carrying a 3kg pot, shortly after he crossed the finish line...
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Trump’s Syria strikes: Yea or nay? Twitter is in two minds
Earlier this morning, US President Donald Trump ordered a missile strike on the Syrian regime’s Shayrat airbase in Syria’s Homs governorate. According to a press release issued by Trump, the military action came in response to Syrian dictator Bashar Al-Assad’s chemical attack on the people of Khan Sheikhoun in...
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#PepsiLivesMatter and the Pepsi solution to the Palestine-Israel conflict
Pepsi yesterday pulled a commercial after generating fury and ridicule online. From being called “tone-deaf” to “racially exploitative”, the ad was said to have trivialised social justice and rights movements, and belittled anti-police brutality protests over recent years. It's scary to think how many people this #PepsiLivesMatter ad had...
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Topshop forced to shut down ‘kuffiyeh’ playsuit line following backlash
British fashion retailer Topshop came under fire yesterday for selling a “festival-ready” romper that mimics the Palestinian kuffiyeh, forcing the multinational chain to remove the item from sale. Calling it a “Scarf playsuit”, the item quickly drew accusations of cultural misappropriation of the scarf’s “history of hardship and bloodshed”....
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The Gaza doctor suing Israel for killing his daughters
Dr Izzeldin Abuelaish is suing the Israeli government after his three daughters and niece were killed at close-range by an Israeli tank during Operation Cast Lead in 2009....
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Miko Peled: From Israeli Zionist to Palestinian defender
“They’re trying to conflate with terrorism and antisemitism,” he concluded, “because they realise that it is a real threat.”...
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Discover Chefchaouen, Morocco
Dubbed Morocco’s “Blue Pearl”, Chaouen is steeped in history and charm......
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From London to Jenin: Searching for the man in the photograph
A British doctor headed to the occupied West Bank to find the story behind a picture she once bought. ...
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Conversation with Palestinian-American poet Remi Kanazi
Remi Kanazi is a Palestinian-American performance poet and writer speaking out against injustice both in Palestine and in the US. MEMO’s Jehan Alfarra spoke to him about his background, activism and his latest books....
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Prints of Palestine: When tradition meets modern fashion
Based in Jerusalem, the business aims to celebrate and highlight Palestinian heritage and identity through traditional embroidery...
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Weaving the history of Palestine
The Palestinian History Tapestry aims to tell the stories of the indigenous people of Palestine through traditional Palestinian embroidery....
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Remembering Tunisia’s Jasmine Revolution
On this day in 2011, Tunisian dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali stepped down after the Jasmine Revolution broke out in the country, giving birth to what became known as the Arab Spring. Post-revolution Tunisia’s transition to democracy has been seen as relatively smooth and peaceful, by the standards...
