Farewell Ms. Weinstein
I liked Carmen. She was a cool lady. She will be missed. Originally published on Foreign Policy Transitions. "You must be Esti's grandson," said one lady as she pinched my cheek. "Leave [...]
April 2013
“ريادة الأعمال للجميع” and “the revolutions within the Revolution” – my new TEDx Talks
I had the pleasure of speaking at the TEDxCairo conference last December - my first TEDx speech in Arabic, and it was a ton of fun. Titled "Democratising Entrepreneurship", I spoke of the opportunities and [...]
Bassem Youssef and the Sultan
[Originally posted on Foreign Policy.] Mocking rulers is a tradition almost as old as rule itself. At times mockery is subtle and allegorical; at others it is blunt, sometimes gauche, but always funny. [...]
March 2013
Don’t overlook Bahrain, it’s a matter of life and death
I feel really strongly about Bahrain - not only because of friends there, but also because I feel that I am probably not doing enough to publicize what's going on there. So here's a very [...]
Just how much are Qaddafi supporters worth to Egypt?
Crossposted on Foreign Policy Transitions. Mubarak's Egypt was one of the CIA's favorite destinations under their "extraordinary rendition" program: A human rights-free zone where torture at the CIA's hands, hampered by delicate legislation, was supervised by the chief of [...]
Did Chokri Belaid die for nothing?
Crossposted on Foreign Policy: Transitions. What has changed in Tunisia since opposition leader Chokri Belaid was assassinated? I’ve asked many Tunisian friends that question. Most remained silent for a few seconds, smiled sadly, [...]
Do the Ikhwan Shake!
In North Africa, there's more to the Harlem Shake than, well, Shaking: it is, for a new generation of youngsters, their first act of political rebellion too. Posted on Foreign Policy Magazine: Transitions. [...]
February 2013
Morocco: Where is the February 20th movement heading?
Live from Rabat, Morocco! I couldn't pass on the opportunity to attend a protest (naturally). I wrote this. [Thanks to RB for being a gracious guide to Morocco's protest movement]. Cross-posted on Foreign Policy Transitions. [...]
Chinese Food on Revolution Day
How i spent my February 11th. Crossposted on FP Transitions. There is one tradition that Muslims and Jews in the West agree on: They both like to eat Chinese food on Christmas Eve. It's [...]
Hamada Saber and his daughter: the intergenerational politics of fear
Sorry I haven't written in a while! Been hectic, work, travels, which I promise to write more about. In the meantime: my latest post for Foreign Policy Transitions can be summed up as follows: Hamada [...]