Heaven on Earth by Bilal Hussain – Kashmir
The place that poets refer to in their verses as “heaven on earth” exists in the fairy tales, and in reality is not far from the Middle East. This real life fantasy is the beautiful valley of Kashmir, which is surrounded by snow clad mountains, lush green woods, and innumerable springs. Like many places globally, […]
Death and All His Friends – YaLa in Jordan
Nothing prepares you for that moment when someone looks you in the eye and tells you they have lost a loved one to this war. No psychology degree can teach you how to keep your lungs and heart going when you know you’ve got nothing… Nothing to say or do that could bring their mother, […]
How it all happened by Y. Yemen
On March 21st, a few hundred men who mainly came from the province of Saada in Yemen, and who were surrounding Sana’a, the capital, overran the city and within a few hours controlled every public facility in it. The men were gathering around the city for few weeks before they made their way inside it. […]
A loss of hope by Yuval Bar, Israel
I was young, 19, four months in the army, three at the Nablus headquarters. My first new year’s eve as a soldier just passed, and there was relative peace after the 9/11 attack. It was early, and I am not a morning person… we just got word that the P.L.O. arrested some fighters of the […]
My Three Months in Prison by Kedy Osman Ali, Sudan
In 2008, I was a 22-year-old boy. I finished my last exam for the Sudan High School Certificate. I was supposed to start my national service, which was compulsory in the Sudan, in two months. About 1,500 fellow students and I were receiving national service training when we were ordered to go to fight the […]
Become what you hate by Mohammed AlNaas, Libya
It was six years ago in Tripoli, when all the hate began to spread in my heart and soul. The Libyan civil war started on February 2011. On February 25 my fears became bigger, demonstrations spread across the country, the streets were full with people, their shouting was increasing as their numbers were; everything was […]
WARRING KIN by Ifeoluwa, Nigeria
I was eleven years old when I woke to the sound of bullet cartridges pattering on the iron sheet roof of our home. It was 15 years ago. From that moment everything I had known about this small town, Ile-Ife, where I was born in Nigeria , changed forever. Life as I knew it came […]
Beyond the Headlines – The Investigation of the near and far
The war in Syria? Who hasn’t heard of the war in Syria? A carnage so painful to witness, yet impossible to ignore. We didn’t own a TV to watch what happened in Syria every day. We did however, have something better than TV: WIFI. It is as quick as asking a genie for another wish. […]
I Want You to Be a Man by MOHAMED
GAZA, PALESTINE — The power was off while the dark sky was moonless, empty, except of some reconnaissance drones that I thought were bright stars in the dawn. Everything was pretty quiet, and everyone from my family inside one room of our small unpainted house was sleeping and snoring on their mattresses without blankets. The atmosphere was really hot, and I was listening to the radio. That was the last thing I could remember before I slept.
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Hotter than Hell by KESSEM ADIV
ISRAEL — Mid-August 2016. 5AM. I am lying in my bed in my small room in my students’ apartment in Be’er Sheva, a big, quite city in southern Israel, in the middle of the desert. The air conditioner in the room is broken. Hot is an understatement…
Remembering Together, By Noa Bar
In this piece there are no intentions to compare the struggles of the two peoples. Both Palestinians and Israelis have had traumatic experiences. Both encompass a tremendous pain, which I do not intend to compare, assess or belittle. Both have youth who carry a very heavy weight on their shoulders, designed by nationalism, history, tradition […]
Photo Essay | Bedouin Communities
These pictures were taken in three Bedouin communities in Area C of the West Bank, which are under threat of displacement: Khan Al-Ahmer, Abu Nawar and Susiya. Khan Al-Ahmer and Abu Nawar are located in what is called the E1 corridor, which separates the northern and southern parts of the West Bank. Plans have been […]
Perspective, by Natalie Goldshtein, Israel
One of my main motivations in choosing to continue my studies and complete a MA Program was the knowledge that it was a cooperative program, with colleagues from both Jordan and Palestine. It was a two-year Program: one year in our home country, and one year abroad – Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian students all studying […]
Electricity, by W. from Gaza, or is it Yemen or Syria or Libya…
In the past, people knew nothing about electricity. They used to use torches and candles to provide light in the long hours of the night and they used to poke the fire to get some warmth in the cold days. All of that have changed after inventing the electricity. People now can use electricity to […]
The last two Tanks by Mohammed Khalaf, Palestine
2002 was a year unlike any other, at least in Palestine and Israel. All news and pictures coming in were tinged in blood red. In Tel-Aviv, Ramallah, Jenin and Jerusalem the streets were not as usual. Cinema Square in Jenin, the heart of city, was completely deserted of the guys who used to come there […]
The angels of peace are not watching the city tonight by Zohar Yanko from Israel
We wondered whether to close the main door or not. Friday afternoon at Levinsky market, it’s the end of the week, the beginning of the year. A half a mile from here a couple of young men just hit the end of their short life. Another young man entered a bar on Tel Aviv’s Dizengoff […]
What it’s like being an “outsider” inside the Israeli-Palestinian conflict By Aurelia Roddy, United States
Just yesterday, I found myself in the middle of yet another Facebook debate, and of course it had to do with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (I know, I know, WHY do I even engage?!). Going into it, I somewhat knew how the conversation would unfold: Me: “Well you know, try to look at it from this […]
Create your Castle with books, by Amr, Palestine
Each one of us has been manipulated at some point. Sometimes you lose your money or life because of this manipulation, when your mind becomes injected with an idea or an ideology to the extent that makes you a slave to it. Then you no longer have control over your decisions and way of […]
Peace Unchained by Ala Oueslati from Tunisia
When we fail to choose peace over war, we actually fail to find our identities. That’s when we start to realize that change doesn’t happen collectively, and that is when our emotional drives become so meaningless. I think what we need the most in order to promote an authentic culture of peace is a culture of […]
The explosion of citizen journalism in #mena is giving youth a voice, & beginning to hold power accountable to the people. @ALLMEP_usa members @YaLa_YL are leaders in the field. If you’re a young MENA-denizen with fire in your belly (or know someone who is!) sign up below https://twitter.com/YaLa_YL/status/1213832846575579136
Young our Citizen Journalism program and tell your friends about it!
New Citizen Journalism course is about to open. Suggest it to your friends, or sign up yourself, help us spread the word!
https://yala-press.com/2019/12/22/opinion-she-for-she-together-stronger-to-achieve-gender-equality-by-iness-algeria/
1/ " Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but also a necessary foundation for a peaceful and sustainable world. It consists of equal access to opportunities, regardless of gender."
