Review: Salman Abu Sitta’s autobiography
The Electronic Intifada, 27th September 2016 Unlike Jawhariyyeh, al-Hout or Sayigh, Galilean hills, Lebanon and Jerusalem do not loom large in Abu Sitta’s account. Instead, his life story is rooted … Continue reading
Reviewed: Mohannad Sabry on Sinai
Electronic Intifada, 11th February 2016 Heavily militarized by Egypt and portrayed in the West as a stronghold of Islamist militant supporters of the Islamic State group and al-Qaida, how do … Continue reading
New article: Cairo remains dependent on US aid
Electronic Intifada, 10th April 2013 While some Palestinians and their supporters saw a ray of light in the election of Mohammed Morsi and his government’s apparent solidarity with Gaza when … Continue reading
International Women’s Day – Tahrir Square
A beautiful, inspiring poster from the fight against sexual violence and for women’s place in Egyptian – and all – societies:
New article: ‘Poets of Protest’ reviewed
Electronic Intifada, 28th February 2013 “All revolutions begin as poetry. Poetry and protest are inseparable twins,” says Yehia Jaber. He should know. A former fighter whose memories include patrolling the … Continue reading
The Left and the Egyptian revolution
There are, obviously, huge issues around the results of the Egyptian presidential elections and SCAF’s attempts to engineer constitutional change to tighten its grip behind the scenes. But from my … Continue reading
New article: 'Subversion' Arabic art exhibition reviewed
Electronic Intifada, 13th May 2012 The final Palestinian contribution is “Gazawood,” by twin al-Aqsa University students known as Tarzan and Arab. In a mocked-up cinema — by the look of … Continue reading
The 3 Disappearances of Soad Hosni, Cornerhouse
Just returned from The Cornerhouse screening of The Three Disappearances of Soad Hosni, a film made by Lebanese director Rania Stephan, who was present for a post-screening Q&A. Soad Hosni … Continue reading
Women of the Egyptian revolution
Many thanks to my friend Kolya, who has been sending me episodes from Leil-Zahra Mortada‘s series of interviews with women involved in the Egyptian revolution. This is one of them, … Continue reading
New article: Shalom/Salaam reviewed
From Friends of Al-Aqsa, 20th April 2011: The core thesis of Shalom/Salaam is that during the medieval period, the tolerance of Muslim authorities in Iraq, Egypt and Al-Andalus towards their … Continue reading
Women and the Egyptian Revolution
This evening’s bit of leftie tourism took me to the Resistance Centre on Swanston Street, one of the network of bookshop/infocentre/meeting venues, associated with Socialist Alliance, to be found around … Continue reading
Sarah Irving 