Three quick things:
First, the reader response to the first post in our “Lebanese National Agenda” initiative — which deals with #9 on the Top 10 List of priorities — has been quite inspiring. As of this writing, the number of comments is up to 120 already. If you haven’t read it yet, do so now and chime in with your thoughts about how to approach the issue of the legal disenfranchisement of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.
Second, for those of you in Boston for the Middle East Studies Association conference, here are a couple relevant panels that you may want to hit.
- “Alternative Media as Sites of Resistance” — Sunday 11:00 AM
- “Lebanon and the Lebanese” — Sunday 2:00 PM
- “Crossing Over: Negotiating Levantine Borders During the Mandate and After” — Sunday 4:30 PM
- “A Material Nahda?” — Monday 8:30 PM
- “Thinking Outside the State?” (with Marc Lynch & Greg Gause) — Monday 11:00 AM
- “External Intervention, Civil Peace, and Post-Syria Lebanon” (with Rex Brynen & Bassel Salloukh) — Monday 11:00 AM
- “Patronage & Clientelism in the Contemporary Middle East” — Monday 2:30 PM
- “The Secrets of Eloquence: Linguistic Expression in Medieval Arabic Thought and Practice” — Tuesday 10:30 AM
That last one is my own panel, which is relevant only to people who have an inexplicable craving for discussions about medieval Arabic literary theory and encyclopedic literature.
Finally, for those of you who haven’t yet joined the Qifa Nabki Facebook page, here’s one more reason to do so: “QN Sings the National Unity Blues…”
Have a good weekend!
Qifa Nabki 
Wallah ya QN, you’re multi-talented. I thought you played the piano though?
Best wishes for a splendidly eloquent panel discussion on Tues.
Posted by PN | November 23, 2009, 1:11 amWaw. Don’t tell me you can zajal too…
Posted by mj | November 25, 2009, 2:59 amSome things will change said:
So according to you, the ones who are calling for Israel’s destruction are to be blamed while the Israeli army – and its powerful state sponsors – who are STILL occupying the land of Palestine and destructing the Palestinians need to be reassured?
Some things will change,
Yes. Israel is a full-fledged, legal member of the United Nations. Palestine is trying to be and, at this time, only has observer status.
I think the vast majority of the international community (sans the ME), realizes that trying to destroy Israel is nothing less than terrorism. Moreover, I think the vast majority of the international community realizes that only the 2 parties to the conflict, namely, the PA and the
GOI can solve the border issue.
Calling for Israel’s destruction and threatening the state of Israel is a direct threat against the UN Charter. Iraq and their Baathist leader Saddam Hussein was dealt with successfully by the UN, and I suspect Iran is next on the chopping block.
Posted by Akbar Palace | November 29, 2009, 11:40 am