I don’t know if I should laugh or take a deep sigh in astonishment at how ignorant some people out there really are. ! I was talking to a friend who asked:

“did I tell you about the fool who asked whereabouts in America Sudan was???”

I said: “Did you tell him it was in the Midwest?”

She said: “I couldn’t break his ego apart, so I said it’s not in the U.S., it’s in Canada.”

Seriously, what’s wrong with people? 

I read in today’s news that some schools in Gaza have banned the Flag Salutation and Palestinian National Anthem from its daily morning program.

I am not exactly sure what called for such action, but I find it very outrageous to say the very least.

Some may take the flag as just “a piece of cloth” with no significance, however I find it a very symbolic representation of one’s country. In Palestine’s case, particularly, it’s very crucial that we hold on to it as it is the symbol of our identity, our country … and this is what we are fighting for!

Some days I wake up feelings toned and so firm … some days feeling, oh my God! I must have put on 30 extra pounds over night! So the question remains, is it just me or do others experience what I tend to experience? Is it psychological? Is it the weather effect? What is it?! Well, whatever it is, for now all I care about is that today I am feeling toned and so firm … yay!

A few months back, while browsing the net, I came across Ameen Rihani’s home page. Browsing through the site, I was intrigued by this man, his work and thoughts.

Ameen Rihani is the founding father of Arab-American literature. His early English writings mark the beginning of a body of literature that is Arab in its concern, culture and characteristic, English in language, and American in spirit and platform. He is the first Arab to write English essays, poetry, novels, short stories, art critiques, and travel chronicles. He published his works in the U. S. during the first three decades of the twentieth century. In this sense, he is the forerunner of American literature written by well known Middle Eastern writers.
Ameen Rihani is also considered to be the founder of “Adab Al-Mahjar” (Immigrant Literature). He is the first Arab who wrote and published complete literary works in the U. S. (New York).His writings pioneered the movement of modern Arabic literature that played a leading role in the Arab Renaissance.

According to several scholars, his major novel, The Book of Khalid, is the foundation of a new trend within the Lebanese American literature in particular, and within the Arab American literature at large. It is a trend towards wisdom and prophecy that seeks to reconcile matter and soul, reason and faith, and the East and the West in an attempt to explicate the unity of religions and represent the unity of the universe.

Rihani, who was influenced by the American poet Walt Whitman, has introduced free verse to Arab poetry. His new style of poetry was published as early as 1905. This new concept flourished in the Arab world and continued to lead modern Arab poetry after Rihani’s death in 1940 and throughout the second half of the 20th century.

His books on Arabia, written originally in Arabic and in English, represent an alternative perspective to the Orientalist movement by giving the world, for the first time, an objective and analytical description of Arabia from an Arab point of view.

If it is true that “great books are just the beginning”, then:

Ar-Rihaniyat is the beginning of Ameen Rihani and of “Adab Al-Mahjar” (Immigrant Literature),
The Book of Khalid is the beginning of Arab American Literature,
Hutaf-ul Awdiya (Hymn Of The Valleys) is the beginning of free verse in Arab poetry, and
Muluk-ul ‘Arab (Kings Of Arabia) is the beginning of the counter-Orientalist movement.

[Official Site]

In a stunning development ahead of official election results, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei today said he and the rest of the Palestinian Authority government will resign in the wake of militant group Hamas’ apparent victory in historic elections. Israel said it could not accept a situation in which Hamas in its current configuration — committed to the destruction of Israel — was a part of the Palestinian Authority. [Source]

I must say that I am extremely disappointed with the results, and mostly with the Palestinian people.
Good luck with forming a new government. Though at this point hope seems very very dim, let’s wait and see…

What a choice - A people’s choice!

Palestinians have begun casting their votes in the first parliamentary election to be held for a decade.

The governing Fatah party faces a strong challenge from the militant Islamic group Hamas, which is fielding candidates for the first time.

Israel and the US have said they will not work with a government that includes Hamas members.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has urged people to vote and ordered the security forces to prevent disruption.

The election run-up has been marred by violence but the main militant groups have said they will ensure calm.

Some 13,000 Palestinian policemen and security personnel have been deployed to protect polling stations on Wednesday.

Nearly 1.5m Palestinians are eligible to vote at about 1,000 centres in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which opened at 0700 (0500 GMT). Some will also cast their ballot in occupied East Jerusalem.

This great day will be of historic significance, a decisive step on the road to freedom and independence

Mahmoud Abbas

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