October 1, 2020
By Nabil Habibi The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain recently signed a peace deal with Israel. The deal is of great importance economically and politically. In more than one sense, this might be the first actual peace, “warm peace” (a peace which goes beyond the political level to an actual […]
April 23, 2020
by Nabil Habibi One of the more challenging aspects of the biblical world is the focus of the ancients on purity laws. Many ancient Jewish groups and even common people were constantly aware of their ritual purity, especially concerning eating or praying in everyday life.[1] They lived in fear of […]
February 6, 2020
by Nabil Habiby Gandalf the Grey, a wizard in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings epic, stands before the Balrog, a rather malicious creature of the caves, and shouts with a great voice: “You shall not pass!” Gandalf’s friends escape, but he is downed in a great pit with the […]
October 31, 2019
by Nabil Habiby Day 13. Demonstrators close the main roads in almost every major city in Lebanon. This is the biggest protest (the people on the street call it a revolution) since the formation of the modern state of Lebanon (1920). It has reached across party lines and religious sects. […]
March 14, 2019
by Nabil Habiby We are in the early days of Lent. Fish burger ads have started to fill the streets. Christians all over Lebanon fast until 12:00 noon. Most abstain from all meat and chicken products.
November 21, 2018
By Nabil Habiby It has been a rough week for Palestinians. They witnessed yet more Arab concessions to Israel. Their land continues to shrink. Their hopes of ever achieving freedom from oppression grow slimmer.