Date:

Topic:

Arab Christians and Christian Zionism
A lecture given by Dr. George Sabra few years ago at Rice University in Houston. Dr. Sabra is now President and Academic Dean and Professor of Systematic Theology at the Near East School of Theology in Beirut, Lebanon. He is also a lecturer in Cultural Studies at the Lebanese American University, and Editor of the Theological Review (a semi-annual journal of theology).

Date:

December 18, 2013

Topics:

1st Segment: Dr. Edward Said on "On Dignity & Solidarity"
Recorded speech for Dr. Edward Said.
   
2nd Segment: Melvin Goodman on "National Insecurity: The Cost of American Militarism”
An interview conducted few months ago with Melvin Goodman about American Militarism.

Date:

December 11, 2013

Topic:

1st Segment: “Whose Sarin?”
Investigative journalist Seymour Hersh published a new article few days ago in the London Review of Books titled “Whose Sarin?” casting doubt on the veracity of the Obama administration’s claims that only the Syrian regime could have carried out the chemical attacks in Syria earlier this year. In this new article, Hersh argues that the Obama administration "cherry-picked intelligence to justify a strike against Assad." Amy Goodman with Democracy Now interviewed Hersh about this, and we will listen today to a portion of that interview that was conducted on Monday.
  
2nd Segment: “Global Powers, Regional Powers and the War in Syria”
The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon, hosted a panel discussion on September 26, 2013 titled “Global Powers, Regional Powers and the War in Syria”. The panel included Dr. Alex Lubin (with the American University of Beirut), Dr. Paul de Quenoy (with the History Dept. at AUB), and Dr. Anthony Billingsley (with the University of New South Wales & Issam Fares Institute Affiliated Scholar). We will listen today to that discussion including the introduction by Dr. Karim Makdisi, Associate Director of the Issam Fares Institute.

Date:

December 4, 2013

Sahar Aziz
Associate Professor at Texas A&M University School of Law, and member of the Egyptian American Rule of Law Association (www.earla.org), which supports rule of law reform in Egypt through analysis, public education, and training. We will speak with Sahar about the latest developments in Egypt including Egypt’s new draft constitution. 

Date:

November 27, 2013

Topic:

Iran's Nuclear Program Deal
A deal was reached few days ago between Iran and the P5+1 countries regarding Iran’s Nuclear program (the P5 of course is in reference to the five permanent members of the UN Security Council…. the United States, Russia, China, United Kingdom, and France, plus one and that is Germany).
 
Today, we will listen to a couple of segments from Free Speech Radio News on the deal with Iran, and then listen to a segment from Anti War Radio with Scott Horton on the same topic (an interview with Nima Shirazi, an independent researcher and political analyst. He is an editor for the online magazine Muftah and contributing writer for Mondoweiss. His political analysis can be found on his blog, WideAsleepinAmerica.com.

Date:

November 20, 2013

Arab Voices was preempted on Wednesday, November 20, 2013 for a special Pacifica Radio Archives National Fund Drive that aired on all Pacifica stations in the US.
 

Date:

November 13, 2013

Topic:

"Iraq: Ten Years After"
A special program from the "FIVE O'CLOCK SHADOW" with Robert Knight that airs on our sister station WBAI in New York City: It is a special review of a decade of war in Iraq, following the US-led invasion of March, 2003. The program is presented by former co-producer of The Knight Report on KPFA "Flashpoints", Nora Barrows-Friedman, an editor at "The Electronic Intifada", and one of the world's leading reporters on Palestine and other Mideast affairs. In this decennial special on the Iraq invasion, we shall hear from an array of Iraqi citizens, on-scene reporters, international scholars, student activists, war protesters, community organizers, and humanitarian aid workers, including:
 
Dahr Jamail, journalist and author of Beyond the Green Zone: Dispatches from an Unembedded Journalist in Occupied Iraq and The Will to Resist: Soldiers who Refuse to Fight in Iraq and Afghanistan
 
Dr. Sabah Alnasseri, political science professor at York University
 
Liisa Schofield, activist and anti-poverty organizer
 
Ali Issa, activist and organizer with War Resisters' League and journalist with Jadaliyya
 
Sundus Abdul Hadi, multimedia artist
 
Rijin Sahakian, artist and co-founder of Sada, a non-profit project supporting new and emerging arts practices through education initiatives in Iraq and public programs internationally

Date:

November 6, 2013

Topic:

MPA Event with Dr. Trita Parsi
The Muslim Professional Association in Houston (MPA) in partnership with the University of Houston's Center for International and Comparative Studies held a special event on October 24 titled "Impacting Policy & Changing Perceptions: How Grassroots Organizations Can Affect Policymaking". The guest speaker was Dr. Trita Parsi, a renowned expert of Middle East affairs, founder of the National Iranian American Council (NIAC), and author of "A Single Roll of the Dice: Obama's Diplomacy with Iran" and "Treacherous Alliance - The Secret Dealings of Israel, Iran and the US". As an academic, as well as an advocate, Dr. Parsi has been a tireless proponent for diplomatic solutions to Middle East issues, and has extensive experience in shaping policy in that region.
 
We will listen this week to the remarks made by Dr. Parsi and also listen to the question and answer session that followed his remarks.

Date:

October 30, 2013

Topic:

ACC's 20th Anniversary Celebration Gala
The Arab American Cultural & Community Center in Houston held its 20th Anniversary Celebration Gala on October 5, 2013. This year's theme was "United We Shape Our Future", and it also highlighted the culture and people of Egypt.
 
We will listen today to the remarks made at the Gala by Ms. Sonia Azad, Mistress of Ceremonies and works with Channel 13; Dr. Rudeina Baasiri and Mrs. Miral Omar, Gala Chairs; Mr. Abdel Elkhadiri, President of the ACC; and Mayor Annise Parker. At the Gala, the ACC awarded Dr. Hazim Safi, Professor and Chairman at the Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery at the University of Texas Medical School, with the 2013 ACC Outstanding Community Service Award (introduced by Dr. Kamal Khalil); Mr. Ahmed Alzayyat, President of Aramco Services Company, with the 2013 ACC Lifetime Achievement Award; and Schlumberger, with the 2013 ACC Corporate Award. Dr. Abdel Kader Fustok introduced Frederick Baldwin and Wendy Watriss, co-founders of FotoFest. Mr. Alaa Issa, Consul General of Egypt was also honored at the Gala (introduced by Dr. Rudeina Baasiri, Gala Chair and Dr. Waleed Gaber, Egyptian American Society President). There was also a scholarship presentation by Mr. Abdel Elkhadiri.

Date:

October 23, 2013

Membership drive
   

Membership Drive

We are offering several thank-you gifts for your pledges including a 4-DVD Special Series documentary titled "Al-Nakba". This is a series on the Palestinian 'catastrophe' of 1948 that led to dispossession and conflict that still endures. The narrative moves through the 19th century and into the 20th century with the British Mandate in Palestine and comes right up to date in the 21st century and the ongoing ‘nakba’ on the ground. Arab, Israeli and Western intellectuals, historians and eye-witnesses provide the central narrative which is accompanied by archive material and documents, many only recently released for the first time. This 4-DVD set is available at the $150 pledge level.

Date:

October 16, 2013

Richard Becker
Western Regional Coordinator of the ANSWER Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism); a noted writer and commentator on Middle East affairs; a featured speaker at political forums and conferences in the US and across the world; and author of the book Palestine, Israel and the U.S. Empire. Becker has visited the Middle East on numerous occasions, and led several fact-finding delegations to Palestine, Iraq and Syria over the years.

A live discussion with Mr. Becker about his book Palestine, Israel and the U.S. Empire (offered as a thank-you gift for $175 contributions to KPFT during our Membership Drive this month).
 
We are also offering another thank-you gift for the first time and that is a 4-DVD Special Series documentary titled "Al-Nakba". This is a series on the Palestinian 'catastrophe' of 1948 that led to dispossession and conflict that still endures. The narrative moves through the 19th century and into the 20th century with the British Mandate in Palestine and comes right up to date in the 21st century and the ongoing ‘nakba’ on the ground. Arab, Israeli and Western intellectuals, historians and eye-witnesses provide the central narrative which is accompanied by archive material and documents, many only recently released for the first time. This 4-DVD set is available at the $150 pledge level.
 
You can ask for both the 4-DVD set "Al-Nakba" and the book "Palestine, Israel and the U.S. Empire" for $250.
 
Please call during the show 713-526-5738 and pledge your support!
   

Membership Drive

Date:

October 9, 2013

Membership drive
   

Membership Drive

We are offering several thank-you gifts for your pledges including a 4-DVD Special Series documentary titled "Al-Nakba". This is a series on the Palestinian 'catastrophe' of 1948 that led to dispossession and conflict that still endures. The narrative moves through the 19th century and into the 20th century with the British Mandate in Palestine and comes right up to date in the 21st century and the ongoing ‘nakba’ on the ground. Arab, Israeli and Western intellectuals, historians and eye-witnesses provide the central narrative which is accompanied by archive material and documents, many only recently released for the first time. This 4-DVD set is available at the $150 pledge level.

Date:

October 2, 2013

Muhammad Sahimi
Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and the NIOC Chair at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He has been analyzing Iran's political developments for the past two decades. He is co-founder and editor of Iran News & Middle East Reports.

We will speak with professor Sahimi about the relations between Iran and the U.S., the Iranian nuclear and political developments, Syria, Israel, and more.

Date:

September 25, 2013

Glenn Greenwald's remarks on the NSA's Mass Surveillance Program

Glenn Greenwald is a Journalist for the Guardian; former constitutional lawyer; and author of three New York Times Bestselling books: two on the Bush administration's executive power and foreign policy abuses, and his latest book, With Liberty and Justice for Some, an indictment of America's two-tiered system of justice. Greenwald was named by The Atlantic as one of the 25 most influential political commentators in the nation. He is the recipient of the first annual I.F. Stone Award for Independent Journalism, and is the winner of the 2010 Online Journalism Association Award for his investigative work on the arrest and oppressive detention of Bradley Manning.
   

Date:

September 18, 2013

1st Segment: Father Nabil Hanna
The Very Rev. Father Nabil Hanna is Pastor of St. George Orthodox Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. Prior to coming to St. George, he served as pastor at St. George Cathedral in Toledo, Ohio; St. John of Damascus Church in Dedham, Mass.; and assistant pastor at St. Luke’s Church in Garden Grove, California.
 
We will speak with Father Hanna about Syria; Christians in Syria; the importance of Syria to Christianity; the war in Syria; the threats of a U.S. attack on Syria; and the prospects for a peaceful resolution to the war-torn country.
  

2nd Segment: Alex Kane
Assistant Editor at Mondoweiss and at World editor for AlterNet. He is a blogger and a freelance journalist based in New York City, writing mostly on Israel/Palestine, Islamophobia and the Middle East. He writes for the Indypendent, and a frequent contributor to the blog Mondoweiss. His work has also appeared in Electronic Intifada, Common Dreams, Palestine Chronicle, Red Pepper (UK), Extra!, AlterNet, Salon, and the Gotham Gazette.
 
We will speak with Alex about the newly released  top-secret document (provided to the Guardian by whistleblower Edward Snowden) which reveals that "The National Security Agency routinely shares raw intelligence data with Israel without first sifting it to remove information about U.S. citizens".

Date:

September 11, 2013

Jacqueline Cabasso
Executive Director of Western States Legal Foundation, which focuses on weapons of mass destruction. They just released the briefing paper "The Rush to Bomb Syria: Undermining International Law and Risking Wider War", which states: "Unilateral punitive strikes justified as a defense of the global norm against chemical weapons are unlikely to actually protect Syrians or others against use of chemical weapons and other attacks, may do little to reinforce the norm or even undermine it, and could lead to a significant increase in the level of violence throughout the region."

Mel Duncan
Founding Director of Nonviolent Peaceforce. Duncan visited Syria and Lebanon and met with representatives of the Syrian government, religious leaders, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, Hezbollah, the nonviolent opposition, the Free Syrian Army and the UN. He also talked with refugees in Lebanon and internally displaced people in rebel-held territories in Syria. He recently wrote: "Syrians must decide Syria’s future. What started as a nonviolent uprising has been hijacked into a geo-political, sectarian war that is anything but civil. The displaced people I met don’t care a whit about these international crosscurrents. They want to go home. Yet the country is whiplashed by proxy wars: U.S.-Russia, Iran-Saudi Arabia, Israel-Hezbollah and on and on. And religious differences have been inflamed in what was a secular country. As one colleague from Aleppo told me, 'I didn’t know I was Sunni until I was 20.'

Syria

Date:

September 4, 2013

Musa al-Gharbi
Research fellow with the Southwest Initiative for the Study of Middle East Conflicts based at the University of Arizona. He has done extensive research on fundamentalism, terrorism, social media, and social movements. His analysis of the way statistics are misused and misunderstood in discourse about the Syrian Civil War was published in the spring 2013 issue of Middle East Policy. He is also a columnist for Your Middle East and a contributor to Press TV.
 

We will speak live with our guest about Syria. Mr. al-Gharbi just wrote the piece "Red Lines Drawn with Syrian Blood," which states: "As the Obama administration has made abundantly clear, the impending Western strikes in Syria will not be aimed at deposing Assad. The goal is not to resolve, but to perpetuate the conflict.". He also recently wrote "Toxic Discourse on Chemical Weapons," which states: "Al-Qaeda has a long and well-documented history of obtaining, developing, and deploying chemical weapons—even in the Syrian theater. In May, Turkish authorities disrupted a Jabhat al-Nusra cell and discovered sarin gas in the possession of the militants; it is worth noting that this is the precise chemical agent supposedly used in the small-scale attacks in April, which the Obama administration attributed to the Assad regime. Following closely after this event in Turkey, the Iraqi government claimed to have disrupted another major al-Qaeda plot involving chemical weapons, these to be deployed on a massive scale. It is clear that al-Qaeda and its affiliates within and around Syria have access to chemical weapons, as well as the intent to deploy them.

Date:

August 28, 2013

Robert Naiman
Policy Director at Just Foreign Policy. He edits the Just Foreign Policy news summary and writes on U.S. foreign policy at Huffington Post. He is president of the board of Truthout, and is on the Steering Committee of Gaza's Ark, a project to bring a boat out of Gaza filled with Palestinian exports in defiance of the blockade. Naiman has worked as a policy analyst and researcher at the Center for Economic and Policy Research and Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch. Naiman has studied and worked in the Middle East.
 

 
Before we begin our conversation with Mr. Naiman about Syria, we will listen to the historic speech "I Have a Dream" delivered by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on this date 50 years ago calling for racial equality, as today marks the 50th anniversary of the historic march on Washington, where hundreds of thousands of people marched for civil and economic rights.

Date:

August 21, 2013

Emad Mekay
Egyptian journalist currently working for the Investigative Reporting Program at the University of California at Berkeley. He is a John S. Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford University. He worked for The New York Times, Bloomberg News and Inter Press Service in the Middle East. He is the founder of America In Arabic News Agency. He covered most of the initial protests of the Arab uprisings for The International Herald Tribune and for Inter Press Service.
  

Dr. Khaled Elsayes
An Egyptian living in Houston and has family in Egypt; world renowned radiologist; associate professor of radiology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; fellow at several international societies; author of numerous publications and two radiology textbooks; and recipient of many international awards. Dr. Elsayes is chairman of Rebuilding Egypt organization, and is a board member of the Egyptian American Society for Democracy and Human Rights.
  

Date:

August 14, 2013

Sahar Aziz
Associate Professor at Texas A&M University School of Law, where she teaches national security, civil rights, and Middle East law. Aziz is also a member of the Egyptian American Rule of Law Association (www.earla.org), which supports rule of law reform in Egypt through analysis, public education, and training.
 

A live discussion with Professor Aziz about the latest developments in Egypt that left hundreds dead and thousands injured over the past few hours; the role of religion (if any) with what's happening in Egypt; the Egyptian military role and its intervention; the reason the military turned against Morsi and ousted him from power, and much more.

Date:

August 7, 2013

CAIR Texas Annual Banquet: "American Muslims: Leading for Justice"
The Council on American-Islamic Relations Texas (Houston Chapter) held its Annual Fundraising Banquet on June 29, 2013 in Houston under the theme "American Muslims: Leading for Justice". Several local community members, faith leaders and elected officials attended the event that featured an awards ceremony recognizing individuals and organizations (KPFT 90.1 FM Radio was this year's recipient of the "Justice in Media Award"). CAIR also discussed the challenges ahead, debut upcoming projects and goals, and showcased the results of the work done by CAIR locally and nationwide. During the event, CAIR raised over $150,000 in contributions to support CAIR's civil rights work.

Date:

July 31, 2013

Ali Abunimah
Co-founder and Executive Director of The Electronic Intifada. Abunimah is a Media Commentator, an expert on Palestine and the Palestinian-Israeli problem, author of One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli-Palestinian Impasse, and a contributor to The Goldstone Report: The Legacy of the Landmark Investigation of the Gaza Conflict. He has contributed to several other books and written hundreds of articles on the question of Palestine in a wide array of publications.

We will speak live with Mr. Abunimah about his eyewitness account from his recent visit to the occupied Gaza Strip; the situation inside Gaza; the ongoing expansion of Israeli colonies on Palestinian land; Israel’s recent change in its issuing of Jerusalem IDs aiming at expulsion of Palestinians from the holy city; Israel's new plan to expel tens of thousands of Palestinian Bedouins from their land; the "revival" of the negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians; how different (if any) this round of negotiations from previous ones over 22 years; the U.S. role in the negotiations; the effect of the Arab Uprisings on the Palestinian-Israeli problem; and much more.

Date:

July 24, 2013

In Memoriam: Helen Thomas' Interview with Arab Voices

 
Helen Thomas, an award winning Arab American veteran journalist that covered the White House for over 50 years, passed away in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, July 20, 2013 at the age of 92. Two years ago, Said interviewed Helen Thomas live on Arab Voices, and in her memory, we will re-air the 45 minutes interview with her.

In that interview, we talked about various topics including her childhood; her work in journalism; memorable moments while covering the White House; her favorite and least favorite presidents; the U.S. foreign policy; her remarks about Israel and Palestine; terrorism; Zionism; and much more.

Date:

July 17, 2013

Rania Masri
Arab-American working in Lebanon since 2005, university professor, writer, human rights advocate and environment scientist. She worked as a regional policy advisor in the UNDP for 15 months in Egypt. Prior to her current position as an assistant professor in environmental sciences in Lebanon, she directed the Southern Peace Research and Education Center at the Institute for Southern Studies in Durham, North Carolina.

We will speak live with professor Masri about the situating in Syria and its effect on the regional politics including Lebanon and Egypt; the Syrian refugee crisis; the involvement of other countries in Syria; the U.S. and its foreign policy/role in what is happening in the region; Israel and its role; the military-industrial complex and its related effects on the region and the U.S.; and much more.

Date:

July 10, 2013

Ghada Talhami
Emeritus Professor in the Department of Politics at Lake Forest College in Illinois. She has published numerous articles and six books including "The Mobilization of Muslim Women in Egypt", "Palestine in the Egyptian Press" and "Syria and the Palestinians". She previously served as Director of Arab Studies at the University of Illinois-Chicago, and Director of the Arab Information Center at Chicago (an office of the Arab League of States). She also served as President of the Association of Arab-American University Graduates, Editor of Arab Studies Quarterly, and Chair of Palestine Human Rights Campaign.

We will speak live with Dr. Talhami about the uprisings in various Arab countries, especially what is happening in Egypt and Syria, and also talk about the U.S. foreign policy towards the Middle East.

Date:

July 3, 2013

Mohamed Elmenshawy
A scholar, and the director of the languages and regional studies program at the Middle East Institute in Washington, DC. He writes a weekly column for Egyptian daily Al Shorouk News. In 2009, he was selected to join the U.N. Secretary General's High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations initiative. He served as editor in chief of Arab Insight, and was the founding editor of Taqrir Washington. He is a regular commentator on international politics in major international and Arabic television and radio networks.

We will speak live with Mr. Elmenshawy about the latest developments in Egypt; what has gone wrong since the historic uprising that toppled the Mubarak regime; why millions are demonstrating and calling for Morsi to step down one year after his election; is it a power struggle between the Muslim Brotherhood and other groups; the army's stance towards the situation and its 48 hours ultimatum to resolve the political crisis that expires today; will the army force Morsi out; and what comes next for Egypt.

Date:

June 26, 2013

Deepa Kumar
Associate Professor of Media Studies and Middle Eastern Studies at Rutgers University. She has been active in various social movements for peace and justice and has written numerous articles in both scholarly journals and alternative media, and has authored several books including Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire.  Kumar is a much sought after public speaker on various topics including Islamophobia, Political Islam, US foreign policy in the Middle East and South Asia, and women and Islam.

We will speak live with professor Kumar about the NSA's mass surveillance and spying program on dissidents and activists, and the federal lawsuit filed last week against the NYPD for its widespread spying programs directed at Muslims. We will also talk about racism, religious and racial profiling, arrests, indefinite detentions, torture, deportation and surveillance of Muslims, and also talk about terrorism as well as media reactions in the US to recent events.

Date:

June 19, 2013

Dr. As'ad AbuKhalil
Lebanese-American professor of political science at California State University, Stanislaus, and visiting professor at UC, Berkeley. He is the creator of and maintains the Angry Arab News Service blog. He is author of several publications including Historical Dictionary of Lebanon, Bin Laden, Islam & America's New "War on Terrorism", and The Battle for Saudi Arabia.

We will speak live with professor AbuKhalil about the crisis in Syria, the Syrian regime, the opposition, Hezbollah and its involvement in Syria, the roles played by Iran, Turkey, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, other Arab countries, the U.S. and European countries, and much more.

Date:

June 12, 2013

Christopher Pyle
A scholar, political activist and professor currently teaching courses on constitutional law, civil liberties, American politics, American political thought, and decision making in complex organizations at Mount Holyoke College. He is author of Military Surveillance of Civilian Politics and Getting Away with Torture. Professor Pyle first received national recognition  when he disclosed the military’s massive surveillance of civilian politics in 1970 and worked to end it as a consultant to three Congressional committees.

Michael Figura
Legal Fellow at the Bill of Rights Defense Committee; a recent graduate of City University of New York School of Law. Michael was an Ella Baker Fellow at the Center For Constitutional Rights, and interned with the CUNY CLEAR (Creating Law Enforcement Accountability and Responsibility) Clinic, the Guantanamo and Bagram Defense Clinic, and the Office of the Appellate Defender of New York.

A live discussion with our guests about the U.S. government’s secret surveillance and spying on U.S. citizens; the secret National Security Agency (NSA) program of collecting phone records and emails that was leaked few days ago by whistleblower Edward Snowden; the (what seems to be limitless) power the U.S. government has granted itself to spy on its citizens; the out of control U.S. intelligence agencies; civil liberties and expectation of privacy; and much more.

Date:

June 5, 2013

Re-airing of Pacifica National Special (collaboration between Arab Voices and others): A Commemoration of the Palestinian Catastrophe (Al-Nakba)
A special one hour documentary that features know experts, Palestinian politicians, elder survivors of the Nakba and their children and grand children, former detainees, reporters, and activists.
 

Rafeef Ziadah, Mustafa Barghouti, Nasseer Aruri, Jess Ghannam, the Foty Family, Fareed Bitar, Suheir Hamad, Head Roc, Dam, Mohammed Al-Farra and the Sling Shot Hip Hop, the children of the Holy Land Trust, Fairuz, Marcel Khalifeh, Ambassador Afif Safieh (former head of the Palestinian Mission in Washington), Dennis Halliday (former UN Assistant Secretary-General), The Arab Summit, Suha Dabousseh, Rami El-Amin and Left Turn magazine, Julia Nasser, Kristen Ess and Nasser Faris.
 

A collaboration between Arab Voices of KPFT, Houston, Texas, Voices With Vision on WPFW and the dcradiocoop in DC and Palestine, Radio Intifada and the SWANA collective of KPFK-LA; Flashpoints of KPFA, Berkeley and Palestine; Open Journal of KPFT Houston, Texas, KCUT Radio Montreal, Nasser Faris-LA , Hazem Jamjoum (Badil), Pennie Quinton and Ghassan Bannoura (imemc.org) the International Middle East Media Collective, Toronto & CKUT radio Montreal in Canada, and WBIX/WBAI in New York…Nasser Faris, Layla Al Haddad of Free Speech Radio News, and major help from Gretchen King, the BALOZIProductions.com, George Rashmawy, Nora Barrows-Friedman, Sherna Berger Gluck, Naji Mujahed, Fred Nguyen, Desmond Leary, Drew Poe, Tony Guinivan, Asmah Hamarneh, and Nathan Moore!… and many more!
 
Coordinating Producer, Ryme Katkhouda of WPFW

Date:

May 29, 2013

"Syria and the US: The Complicity of Silence"
A special program from Empire at Al Jazeera English: Marwan Bishara, host of Empire, explores who is right and who is wrong, and what is - or should be - the Obama policy towards Syria, with guests: Bassam Haddad, the director of the Middle East studies programme at George Mason University, who is also editor of the online magazine Jadaliyya, and author of several books, including his latest Business Networks in Syria: The Political Economy of Authoritarian Resilience; David Pollock, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy; Juan Cole, a professor of Middle East history at the University of Michigan, and author of several books including his most recent Engaging the Muslim World; and Stephen Starr, a journalist and author of Revolt in Syria: Eyewitness to the Uprising.

Date:

May 22, 2013

Melvin Goodman
Director of the National Security Project at the Center for International Policy; former CIA analyst for 24 years; former analyst at the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research; adjunct professor of government at Johns Hopkins University; and author of several books on international security, including his just-released book "National Insecurity: The Cost of American Militarism".

We will speak live with Mr. Goodman about his new book "National Insecurity: The Cost of American Militarism", and also talk about the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, and why it was targeted. Mr. Goodman says the consulate was a diplomatic cover for an intelligence platform and whatever diplomatic functions took place in Benghazi also served as cover for an important CIA base.

Membership Drive

Date:

May 15, 2013

Ron Sconyers
Brigadier General Sconyers is President and Chief Executive Officer of Physicians for Peace, a global nonprofit medical education and treatment organization serving developing nations with unmet medical needs and scarce resources. General Sconyers was a career military officer in the U.S. Air Force.

Mohannad Mansour
Physical Therapist at Rafedia Hospital in occupied Palestine, and is currently in Houston to further enhance his skills as a trainer through Physicians for Peace. He is one of two therapists in the Burn Unit, the only one of its kind in Palestine, serving patients from all over the West Bank.

We will speak live with General Sconyers and Mr. Mansour about Physicians for Peace and the work it does around the globe. We will also talk about the Peace Burn Care Program and the West Bank Burn Clinic, and hear some great stories of miracles they've performed to reduce the suffering of so many.
    

Membership Drive

Date:

May 8, 2013

Sahar Aziz
Associate Professor of Law at Texas Wesleyan School of Law; President of the Egyptian American Rule of Law Association; former Senior Policy Advisor at the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; and legal fellow at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding.

A live discussion with professor Aziz about the current situation in Egypt and how the historic revolution that toppled the Mubarak regime has changed Egypt. We will talk about some of the issues that triggered/caused the revolution and where they stand now such as democracy, freedom, the constitution, corruption, and more.
   

Membership Drive

Date:

May 1, 2013

1st Segment: Khalil AbuSharekh
Member of the board of directors at the Houston Palestine Film Festival, scheduled to be held in Houston on May 10-11 & 17-18. Khalil is a practical creative who continually raises the bar in verbal and visual communications. He aims to create memorable films to contribute lasting value to the good of business and community. We will speak live with Khalil about the 7th Annual Houston Palestine Film Festival.

2nd Segment: Manufacturing Terror: The Media’s Anti-Arab and Anti-Muslim Problem
After the Boston Marathon bombing, journalists scrambled to identify those responsible for the attack, and their motive. Rolling news and online message boards were filled with speculation, many pointing the finger at Muslims and Arabs. Does the media reinforce anti-Arab and anti-Muslim stereotypes? This is a special program produced by the National Radio Project.

Date:

April 24, 2013

Nadia Kayyali
Syrian-American and Human Rights Activist, Legal Fellow at the Bill of Rights Defense Committee, and Executive Vice President and served as Student National Vice President of the National Lawyers Guild. Her experiences include work at the ACLU of Northern California, and Occupylegal.

Lara Kiswani
Executive Director of the Arab Resource and Organizing Center in California. She is a Palestinian raised in California, and has been active with antiwar, Palestinian, Arab, feminist, and student organizations. She is a Collective member of Sunbula: Arab Feminists for Change, was part of the Free Palestine Alliance and active in the immigrant rights movement in Northern California.
  

Date:

April 17, 2013

Malek Jandali
Award-winning prolific Syrian composer and pianist, who is recognized as a leading figure in today's piano world. His outstanding recordings and extensive concert tours receive abundantly glowing praise. Jandali has received numerous awards and recognitions throughout the years, and his works have been performed with several leading orchestras around the world. Jandali appears frequently as a guest on numerous national and international media outlets.

He is the first Arab musician to arrange the oldest music notation in the world, which was featured in his 2008 album “Echoes from Ugarit”. He was the recipient of the 2011 “Freedom of Expression” award in Los Angeles for his song “Watani Ana – I am my Homeland”, as well as his activism in the Arab Spring movement for human rights and democracy. In 2012, he was recognized in New York City with the Arab-American Cultural Achievement Award. His latest album (just released) "Syria...Anthem of the Free" is dedicated to the Syrian people in their noble quest for freedom, dignity and human rights.

Date:

April 10, 2013

Omar Barghouti
Palestinian researcher, commentator, and human rights activist committed to upholding international law and universal human rights. He is a founding member of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) and the Palestinian Civil Society Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel. He is the author of BDS: The Global Struggle for Palestinian Rights.

We will listen today to Omar Barghouti's talk about the Palestinian Civil Society Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel. Barghouti's remarks were made on February 1, 2013 at an event in Santa Fe, New Mexico that was part of the Lannan In Pursuit of Cultural Freedom series organized by the Lannan Foundation. Amy Goodman introduced Omar Barghouti at that event, and we will also listen to the remarks she made.

Date:

April 1, 2013

Dr. Stephen Zunes
Professor of Politics and International Studies at the University of San Francisco, where he chairs the program in Middle Eastern Studies. He is recognized as one of the country's leading scholars on U.S. Middle East policy and on strategic nonviolent action. He serves as a senior policy analyst for the Foreign Policy in Focus project of the Institute for Policy Studies, an associate editor of Peace Review, a contributing editor of Tikkun, and chair of the academic advisory committee for the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict.

Date:

March 27, 2013

1st Segment: Rabeea Eid
A conversation with Eid, Political Science student at Haifa University, journalist, activist from the village of Eilaboun and member of the National Democratic Assembly in Israel. Rabeea spoke up during President Obama's speech to students in Jerusalem last week. He asked Obama “President Obama, did you come to make peace or to support Israel and the Israeli occupation? How can you be democratic and support a Jewish country? Who killed Rachel Corrie? Did you see the apartheid wall when you came from Ramallah?”

2nd Segment: Where is the Syrian Conflict Heading?
A special segment from Al Jazeera English: Inside Syria, with presenter Hazem Sika. Guests: Yaser Tabbara; legal advisor for the Syrian National Coalition, and the Syrian opposition coalition in the United States; Joshua Landis, a Syria expert and director of Center of the Middle East Studies, and associate professor at the University of Oklahoma; and Danny Makki, the co-founder of the Syrian Youth in Britain - a group of Syrians advocating democratic change through dialogue.

Date:

March 20, 2013

First, we will listen to a short audio message from the parents of Rachel Corrie on the 10th anniversary of the murder of their daughter. Rachel was killed by Israel in March 2003 in the occupied Gaza Strip in Palestine as she was trying to protest the Israeli demolition of a Palestinian home in Rafah.

Raed Jarrar
Communications Director for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC). He is an Arab American political advocate, media analyst, and architect. Since his immigration to the US in 2005, he has worked on political and cultural issues pertaining to US-Arab relationships. Given his personal and professional experiences with issues that impact Arab Americans, Raed is a sought after analyst who frequently appears on English and Arabic media outlets.

A live discussion with Raed about Iraq and Syria as this week marks the 10th anniversary of the US-led war on Iraq and also marks the 2nd anniversary of the Syrian uprising, and how the events affected both countries. We will also talk about President Obama's current visit to the Middle East and what is expected (if any) to come out of it.

Date:

March 13, 2013

1st Segment: Ten Years Later: Counting the Costs of War in Iraq
A special report produced on March 12, 2013 by the National Radio Project: "The invasion and occupation of Iraq defined a generation; the world’s largest anti-war protest was followed by the 3rd longest war in US history. 10 years later, American troops have officially left Iraq, but the occupation and its effects continue. On this edition, we look back at the 2003 invasion of Iraq. For Iraqis, for the US military, and for the anti-war movement; how have things changed? And what, if anything, has the world learned?"

2nd Segment: The 3rd Palestinian Festival
A live conversation with Wafa Abdin, Board Member with the Palestinian American Cultural Center (PACC-Houston) and one of the organizers for the 3rd Palestinian Festival about the festival scheduled to be held March 16-17 at Jones Plaza in Downtown Houston.  This year, world-renowned Al Hanouneh folkloric dance group will be performing live at the festival. Last year, more than 5,000 people attended the festival.

Date:

March 6, 2013

Laura Nader
Professor of Anthropology at the University of California at Berkeley. An influential voice in contemporary anthropology, Laura Nader’s books include Culture and Dignity - Dialogues between the Middle East and the West, Naked Science: Anthropological Inquiry into Boundaries, Power and Knowledge , The Life of the Law, and Plunder–When the Rule of Law is Illegal.

 
A live discussion with professor Nader about her new book "Culture and Dignity - Dialogues between the Middle East and the West", in which she examines the historical and ethnographic roots of the complex relationship between the East and the West, revealing how cultural differences can lead to violence or a more peaceful co-existence.

Date:

February 27, 2013

1st Segment: US and Iran: Can talks take place?
A special program produced by Al Jazeera English that looks at tensions between the US and Iran as the US imposes more sanctions on Iran days after offering direct negotiations.

2nd Segment: Palestinian Political Prisoners
We will talk about Arafat Jaradat, Palestinian Political Prisoner who was tortured to death in Israeli interrogation facility, and also listen to an interview conducted few months ago by Arab Voices with Sahar Francis, Director of Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association based in Ramallah, occupied Palestine, who is also a Human Rights Lawyer and lives in Ramallah. The interview was about the thousands of Palestinian political prisoners held in Israeli jails.

Date:

February 20, 2013

Philip Giraldi
Former CIA Counter-Terrorism Specialist and Military Intelligence Officer who served 18 years overseas. He is the Executive Director of the Council for the National Interest and a recognized authority on international security and counterterrorism issues. He writes regularly on terrorism, intelligence, and security issues, and appears frequently on national and international broadcasts.

A live discussion with Dr. Giraldi about Christian Zionism, and his newly published article “Towards a Christian Zionist Foreign Policy”, in which he notes "This powerful block of pro-Israel sentiment provides a free pass to the illegal Israeli settlements and also to Tel Aviv’s brutal foreign policy vis-à-vis its neighbors, which has damaged other American interests in the region. It also means that any consideration of Arabs as aggrieved parties in the Middle Eastern fandango is seldom expressed, even though many of the Arabs being victimized by the Israel-centric policies are in fact Christian."

Date:

February 13, 2013

Lisa Hajjar
Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of California - Santa Barbara, Visiting Professor at the Center for American Studies and Research (CASAR) at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon, and author of "Courting Conflict". In addition to being a Co-Editor at Jadaliyya, she serves on the editorial committees of Middle East Report and the Journal of Palestine Studies.

Today we will listen to a new lecture by Professor Hajjar titled "Lawfare and Armed Conflict: Comparing Israeli and US Targeted Killing Policies and Challenges against Them", which was delivered on February 5, 2013 at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon (a lecture co-sponsored by AUB's Issam Fares Institute and the Center for American Studies and Research).
 
Note: Because of time limitations, Arab Voices aired the first 53 minutes of professor Hajjar's 60 minutes lecture. You can listen to and view the entire lecture including the question and answer session by clicking here.

Date:

February 6, 2013

Today, February 6, is the third and last Wednesday for Arab Voices to raise pledges totaling $3,300 during KPFT’s Winter Fund Drive (which started two weeks ago).
 
Please call in during the show TODAY between 7 pm and 8 pm central time and pledge your support (713-526-5738). If you are unable to call during the show, please send e-mail to ArabVoices@hotmail.com with your name, phone number, mailing address and the amount you want to pledge. KPFT will then send you the invoice. As a thank you note, Arab Voices and KPFT are offering premiums (Thank-You Gifts) for your support.
  
Today on the show, we will listen to portions of a unique speech by the late professor Edward Said (we are offering a special Tribute 6-CD Set of his speeches and interviews over the years with a pledge of $250), and we will also listen to portions of a special interview we conducted with Miko Peled (we are offering his new book “The General's Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine” for a pledge of $180) who is coming to Houston next week (check Arab Voices Community Calendar for the details).
     
For nearly 11 years, we brought you special programs and distinguished guests and politicians covering a wide range of topics. A full list of over 550 guests that appeared on the show is at www.arabvoices.net/archives.htm. Please call in today to support Arab Voices.
        
Note: All donations/memberships are tax-deductible, and 100% of your pledges go to the station (Arab Voices and its volunteers do not receive any funds from KPFT).   

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Membership Drive

Date:

January 30, 2013

Date:

January 23, 2013

Cecilie Surasky
Deputy Director of Jewish Voice for Peace, a national Jewish advocacy organization that supports democracy, international law and self-determination for both Israelis and Palestinians. She is a videomaker, former newspaper columnist and talk radio host. Her analysis of Israel-Palestine politics have appeared in numerous media outlets around the world. Cecilie is the editor of Muzzlewatch, a blog that charts efforts to stifle debate on Israel-Palestine politics.

A live discussion with Cecilie about the Israeli elections and how its outcome will affect future negotiations with the Palestinians (if any), the Israel Lobby in the US and the nomination of Hagel, and the Jewish American stand towards the current situation between Israel and the Palestinians.
 

Membership Drive

Date:

January 16, 2013

Sam Husseini
Director of Media and Communications at the Institute for Public Accuracy based in Washington, D.C., a consortium of policy experts providing independent sources on breaking news to media outlets. Husseini's articles on politics, foreign affairs, public policy, media, and pop culture are published in numerous media outlets. Prior to joining IPA, Husseini was media director for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.

A live discussion with Sam Husseini about the US foreign policy under a second Obama term, and the nomination of Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense and John Kerry as Secretary of State and how will that change/affect the US foreign policy (if any). We will also talk about the uprisings in various Arab countries, the Israeli occupation of Palestine, and much more.

Date:

January 9, 2013

1st Segment: "Patriots & Peacemakers: Arab Americans in Service to Our Country"

A live conversation with Helen Samhan, Senior Outreach Advisor to the Arab American National Museum (AANM), and Claudia Baba, Board Member with The Arab American Educational Foundation (AAEF) and serves as a local liaison for the Arab American National Museum, about the Patriots & Peacemakers exhibition that will be coming to Houston (exploring Arab American life and culture, including religion, family life, work and gender).

2nd Segment: "Stop $30 Billion To Israel"

A live conversation with Bob Carter, co-founder of Justice For Palestinians organization, and Massoud Nayeri, peace activist, about the newly launched Billboard Ad project in Houston calling for a stop to sending billions of US dollars to Israel. Both Bob and Massoud are also part of a diverse group of individuals that has been working on the billboard project.

Date:

January 2, 2013

Norman Finkelstein 
Renowned American Jewish professor, political scientist, activist, and an independent scholar, who has worked on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict for over three decades. Finkelstein is author of several books including "Beyond Chutzpah: On the misuse of anti-Semitism and the abuse of history", "The Holocaust Industry: Reflections on the exploitation of Jewish suffering", "Image and Reality of the Israel-Palestine Conflict", and "This Time We Went Too Far: Truth and Consequences of the Gaza Invasion”.

Today, we will listen to portions of Finkelstein's talk that took place in Houston last year at an event organized and sponsored by various organizations and was titled "Palestine: Roots of the Conflict and Prospects for Peace".