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Marwan Bishara

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Marwan Bishara
Bishara in 2012
مروان بشارة Edit this on Wikidata
Born1959 Edit this on Wikidata
Nazareth Edit this on Wikidata
Alma mater
OccupationJournalist Edit this on Wikidata
Employer

Marwan Bishara (Arabic: مروان بشارة) is a Palestinian Arab author, columnist and senior political analyst for Al Jazeera English, born in Nazareth, Israel.[1][2] From 2007 to 2014, Bishara was the editor and host of their flagship programme Empire, which examined global powers and their agendas in a fusion of documentary and debate with politicians, generals, philosophers, academics, novelists, movie directors, and activists from the world over.[3] He has been described as "one of the Arab world's leading public intellectuals"[4] and writes extensively on global politics and is widely considered a leading authority on the Middle East and international affairs.

Although he grew up in Israel, Bishara has spent most of his adult life outside the country, including periods of studying, living and working in the United States and France as well as traveling extensively in the course of his career interests, travel which he has described as providing "perspectives like no other".[5]

Life and career

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Marwan Bishara was born in Nazareth into a Christian Arab family. His mother was a school teacher and his father a health inspector and trade unionist with connections to the Communist Maki party; his siblings include former Israeli politician Azmi and Rawia Bishara (a chef, cookbook writer and restaurateur).[6]

Bishara earned a PhD in political sociology and strategic studies in 2005 from the École des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS) in 2005. His thesis, undertaken under the supervision of sociologist Alain Joxe, is entitled "Israeli dependency relations with the United States after 1967: transnational relationship of patronage and the globalization of the Israeli-Palestinian deadlock".[7] During this period, Bishara was a lecturer in International Relations at the American University of Paris and worked as a senior researcher at the Interdisciplinary Research Centre for peace and Strategic Studies (French) Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche sur la paix et d'études stratégiques (CIRPES)[8][9] He also taught at Parsons School of Design in Paris prior to that.[10] Before joining Al Jazeera in 2007, he was senior political analyst for Abu Dhabi TV.[11] In 2017–18 he joined St Anthony's College, Oxford University, as an academic visitor, working on US Patron-Client relations in the Middle East.[12]

Bishara's journalistic output is prolific and spans more than 30 years, appearing in The New York Times,[13] Washington Post,[14] Newsweek,[15] The Guardian,[16] Le Monde,[17] Le Monde Diplomatique[18] The Nation,[19] Huffington Post,[20] among other outlets, together with an ever-growing collection of opinion pieces for Al Jazeera.[21] He has written in English, Arabic, Hebrew and French and has had his work translated into other languages. YouTube carries a large number of his analyses for Al Jazeera on contemporary affairs in more than one language.[22]

Considered an authority on strategic affairs, notably US foreign policy, Cold War, and Middle Eastern relations, Bishara has been a consistent vocal critic of official policies, especially American[23][24][25][26] and Soviet[27][28][29][30] imperialism, European colonialism,[31][32][33][34][35][36] and Middle East dictatorships.[37][38][39][40][41]

Bishara identifies as a liberal democrat[42] in as far as he supports liberal democracy. He is also a pacifist[43] and has written extensively on the futility and savagery of war,[44][45] its disingenuous justifications[46][47] and inherent misogyny[48] preferring to press for diplomacy and conflict resolution.[49][50]

As a Palestinian intellectual, Bishara has been especially critical of Israeli policies[51][52][53][54][55] while denouncing anti-semitism[56][57][58][59] and all other forms of racism.[60][61] However, he is not critical of Palestinian violence, dismissing Hamas' actions in the October 7 and calling Hamas an "anti-colonial movement" that "employ[s] questionable methods."[62] Bishara also claims to support "peaceful coexistence, through equality, justice and freedom for all" in Israel and Palestine, despite his justification for armed conflict.[63][6][64]

Dr. Bishara has served on a number of boards, including the Jerusalem Fund, previously the Center for Policy Analysis on Palestine in Washington, D.C.,[65] and was a commissioner/advisor to the World Council of Churches.[66][67] Currently, he serves on the Board of Trustees of The Galilee Foundation, a UK-based charity established in 2007 to promote development and equality of the Palestinian indigenous community in Israel.[68]

Quotes

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On CNN, regarding the Arab League's attempted regulation of media outlets such as Al Jazeera: "I think Arab – certain Arab – governments are really worried from the freedom of expression that is going on in the Arab world."[69]

On human rights

"Universal values and the respect of human rights in general are our best bet to preserve civilization in the long run. Ethics translate into securing the long term interests of humanity on this earth."[70]

On war

"In reality, not even the most skilled spokesman can outsmart a dying child, a weeping father or grieving sister."[47]

"This definite and paradoxical conclusion – the most instructive, and yet ignored of all lessons of war is categorical: Not one great power possessing superior firepower has won against a weaker, less organised and less professional resistance against occupation."[44]

"Call it provocation or whatever you may, but legitimate resistance to military occupation is a right enshrined not only in every law of the land, but also in the law of nature."[46]

"If only people spend as much time averting and avoiding war as they spent waging wars and dealing with their devastating consequences, the world may be a better place."[43]

On oligarchs

"What is it that you want to do with billions that you can't do with millions?" Because you see when we talk about billions we are talking about power, about the oligarchy & the destruction of democracy..." "In a civilisation it’s the society that defines wealth, not the few wealthy that define society and democracy because that’s what matters."[71]

On happiness/wellbeing

"Wellbeing may be achieved through "life, liberty and pursuit of happiness", but only in tandem with, not at the expense of another individual, nation, race or gender or generation's "life, liberty and pursuit of happiness"[72]

On arrogance

"Arrogance all too often breeds stupidity."[45]

"Arrogance breeds contempt; religious arrogance breeds conflict".[73]

"America's ultimate power resides in deterrence, not the actual use of force. Power, especially when shared, is a source of stability, whereas force generates instability and humiliation. Only arrogance can explain the use of force with disregard to international law. Arrogance breeds enemies and leads to mistakes."[74]

On the war in Iraq, including some prophetic statements

"A sweeping fatalism is gripping the Middle East as the spectre of war defies UN diplomacy. Washington's conservatives reckon if force doesn't work, more force will, and if things don't worsen they won't improve."[75]

"Pursuing this apocalyptic path can only lead to regional chaos and eventually bring down the curtains on an American era. The proponents of another Gulf War reckon it's time for a regional "shake up" among friends and foe alike. They are betting on the easy part—a quick victory in the war—but ignore the impossible task of winning the peace."[75]

"To ameliorate its image, Washington needs policy reform, not improvements in media coverage. Unfavorable opinion of the United States in the Arab world does not exist because people are blind to its values, but rather because they see through the Bush administration's arrogant policy towards them."[76]

On the war against terrorism

"The last time I checked, there was no legal or strategic interpretation of evil. An open-ended war on evil leads to Armageddon."[77]

"For most outsiders, the US is in denial over its own “evil doing” around the world. Obama and McCain could see evil in Darfur but would not admit that the invasion and occupation of Iraq on false premises or for oil is no less an evil act."[77]

On the US/Israel relationship

"Insane! And, well, insanely stupid.[78]

New Year message

"Above all else, life is a personal struggle and a shared journey. Life is meaningless without a meaningful struggle, especially one waged with empathy and passion in the pursuit of, well, happiness. Now that is a future worth fighting for; a good fight worth fighting".[79]

On populism

Anyone who blames Mexicans, Blacks and Muslims for the misfortunes of your country is deceiving you. They don’t deserve you, and they sure as hell don’t deserve your support.

Anyone who tells you that only the rich can pull you out of misery after the banks ran your financial system into the ground is lying to you.[80]

On Israel

"Since [October 7], Israel turned vengeful, tribal and adamant on destruction and expansion with total disregard for basic human decency and international law...But this foreign tribe has no chance of surviving among all the indigenous people of the region, who have coalesced more than ever before against the bloody intruder." [81]

On the October 7 Attacks

"Some of the images from [the attacks] are no doubt gruesome – but the images from Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, Libya, etc have been no less horrific. Two decades of Western and Israeli wars in the Middle East have led to not thousands, but millions of Arab and Palestinian casualties."[82]


Publications

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Books

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  • Croisade anti-terroriste Broché. Paris: La Decouverte. 2003 ISBN 978-2707138835[83]
  • Palestine/Israel: Peace or Apartheid. London/New York: Zed Books. 2003 [2001]. ISBN 978-1-84277-273-7.
  • Embedded. New York: Nation Books, 2004, ISBN 978-1560255246
  • The Invisible Arab. Nation Books/Perseus. 2012. ISBN 978-1-56858-708-0.

Articles

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References

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  1. ^ "Marwan Bishara". Bloomsbury Publishing (UK). Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  2. ^ Bishara, Marwan (3 February 2022). "Biden's gambit in Ukraine is a risky gamble". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  3. ^ "Empire". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  4. ^ Bishara, Marwan (2012). The Invisible Arab. New York: Nation Books. pp. Cover jacket blurb from Publisher. ISBN 978-1-56858-708-0.
  5. ^ Bishara, Marwan (2012). The Invisible Arab. New York: Nation books. pp. acknowledgments. ISBN 978-1-56858-708-0.
  6. ^ a b Bishara, Marwan (31 December 2002). "My brother's fight for democracy". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  7. ^ Bishara, Marwan (2005). Relations de dépendance Israël / Etats-Unis après 1967 : le rapport transnational de patronage et la globalisation de l'impasse israélo-palestinienne. theses.fr (Thesis). Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  8. ^ Galice, Gabriel (2021). Regards croisés sur Alain Joxe à l'occasion de son 90e anniversaire - Penseur de la guerre, militant de la paix (in French). Paris France: Fondation Gipri. ISBN 978-2-343-22111-3.
  9. ^ Bishara, Marwan (2001). Palestine/Israel Peace or Apartheid. London: Zed Books. pp. Acknowledgements. ISBN 1-84277-111-6.
  10. ^ Bishara, Marwan (21 December 2021). "From Beijing With Love". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  11. ^ "Trent University Model UN Conference to Feature International Speaker". Trent University. 22 October 2003. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  12. ^ "What future for Israel and Palestine?". St Anthony's College Oxford University. 16 November 2018. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  13. ^ Bishara, Marwan (9 July 1994). "A Goal for Palestinians:Keep Working Together". New York Times (International Herald Tribune). Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  14. ^ Bishara, Marwan (9 December 2012). "Egypt's revolution is far from over". The Washington Post. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  15. ^ Bishara, Marwan (19 November 1995). "How Palestinians Should Use This Moment". Newsweek. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  16. ^ Bishara, Marwan (18 August 2005). "The Risk of a Third Intifada". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  17. ^ Bishara, Marwan (24 December 2003). ""Deux visions du monde et des réponses à ses conflits"". Le Monde. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  18. ^ Bishara, Marwan (3 October 2006). "US: World Empire of Chaos". Le Monde Diplomatique. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  19. ^ Bishara, Marwan (30 January 2003). "Letter to America A Palestinian's view". The Nation. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  20. ^ Bishara, Marwan (3 October 2011). "Tony Blair: who Wants him Fired?". Huffington Post. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  21. ^ Bishara, Marwan. "Marwan Bishara". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  22. ^ "Al Jazeera Marwan Bishara". YouTube. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  23. ^ Bishara, Marwan (13 October 2001). "Clash of Civilizations? Think Again". Counterpunch. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  24. ^ Bishara, Marwan (15 August 2013). "Generals and patrons: The American-Egyptian military". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  25. ^ Bishara, Marwan (15 March 2015). "Awesome America: A Love Story". Huffington Post. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  26. ^ Bishara, Marwan (27 February 2022). "The world is united on Ukraine, divided on America". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  27. ^ Bishara, Marwan (22 August 2008). "From Russia with Love…". Counterpunch. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  28. ^ Bishara, Marwan (10 March 2014). "Reckless in Kiev: Neocons, Putin and Ukraine". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  29. ^ Bishara, Marwan (15 April 2015). "US and Russia: Axes of expediency". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  30. ^ Bishara, Marwan (6 March 2022). "Putin's 'macho doctrine': Implications for Ukraine". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  31. ^ Bishara, Marwan (27 February 2003). "War and the Arab world : Not in the name of democracy". New York Times. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  32. ^ Bishara, Marwan (18 March 2011). "West overzealous on Libya". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  33. ^ Bishara, Marwan (19 January 2016). "Arabs in the eye of history". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  34. ^ Bishara, Marwan (7 September 2016). "No to partitioning Syria". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  35. ^ Bishara, Marwan (12 January 2022). "Churchill, Johnson and the farcical nostalgia for empire". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  36. ^ Bishara, Marwan (2012). The Invisible Arab. Nation Books. pp. 23–29. ISBN 978-1-56858-708-0.
  37. ^ Bishara, Marwan (23 February 2011). "Gaddafi has lost it". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  38. ^ Bishara, Marwan (20 March 2011). "Framing the narrative of Libya". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  39. ^ Bishara, Marwan (25 April 2011). "Patterns in the Arab revolution". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  40. ^ Bishara, Marwan (26 February 2016). "ISIL, CIA, Mossad, Quds Force, etc". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  41. ^ Bishara, Marwan (14 November 2017). "The Machiavellian Prince: Welcome to Salman Arabia". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  42. ^ Bishara, Marwan (24 February 2022). "And so, Cold War II begins". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  43. ^ a b Bishara, Marwan (25 October 2021). "Pyrrhic victories ring hollow in the Middle East". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  44. ^ a b Bishara, Marwan (23 July 2014). "On stupidity and war". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  45. ^ a b Bishara, Marwan (25 July 2014). "On arrogance and war". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  46. ^ a b Bishara, Marwan (29 July 2014). "On chutzpah and war". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  47. ^ a b Bishara, Marwan (6 August 2014). "On deception and war". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  48. ^ Bishara, Marwan (31 July 2014). "On men and war". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  49. ^ Bishara, Marwan (22 May 2006). "A national unity government for Palestine". New York Times. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  50. ^ Bishara, Marwan (27 January 2022). "Ukraine: To war or not to war?". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  51. ^ Bishara, Marwan (22 May 2002). "Apartheid in the territories : Israel's pass laws will wreck peace hopes". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  52. ^ Bishara, Marwan (6 July 2006). "Israel on the Offensive: Israel's attacks on Gaza--and now Lebanon-- to intimidate a civilian population for political ends is the very definition of state terrorism". The Nation. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  53. ^ Bishara, Marwan (22 July 2014). "Gaza 1994-2014: The peace that led to war". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  54. ^ Bishara, Marwan (16 May 2021). "Israel's doctrine: Humane bombing and benevolent occupation". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  55. ^ Bishara, Marwan (8 February 2022). "Israel's apartheid and the myth of the democratic Jewish state". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  56. ^ Bishara, Marwan (21 October 2003). "One can only shake one's head in outrage'". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  57. ^ Bishara, Marwan (13 August 2018). "Anti- Semitism is horrible, and it requires both Israel's detractors and critics to confront it on the Left and Right". Twitter. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  58. ^ Bishara, Marwan (25 April 2019). "No place for racism here. You're blocked and should be banned". Twitter. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  59. ^ Bishara, Marwan (19 January 2022). "Jews should've and should always be part of the Arab world, but this is a terrible article". Twitter. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  60. ^ Bishara, Marwan (20 December 2003). "Head scarf debate : Lifting the veil in France". New York Times. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  61. ^ Bishara, Marwan (7 July 2013). "Violence Has No Religion: New Rules for Bill Maher on Islam". Huffington Post. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  62. ^ Bishara, Marwan (12 October 2023). "Israel is manufacturing a case for genocide". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  63. ^ Bishara, Marwan (6 February 2001). "Ways to Sober Up on the Morning After". New York Times. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  64. ^ Bishara, Marwan (19 May 2020). "Palestine: The third way forward". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  65. ^ Bishara, Marwan (17 April 1996). "Israel Wins New Friends, And Isolates an Old Enemy". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  66. ^ "WCC hosts briefing on the human rights situation in Palestine". World Council of Churches. 1 March 2001. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  67. ^ "Devastating Human Costs of Small Arms and Light Weapons". Project Ploughshares. 26 February 2001. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  68. ^ "About Us-Galilee Foundation". 26 March 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  69. ^ "International Correspondents". CNN transcript. 29 February 2008.
  70. ^ Bishara, Marwan (26 January 2002). "Moral and practical imperatives of international relations post 9/11" (PDF). Terrorism & Human Rights after September 11 Cairo Institute For Human Rights Studies. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  71. ^ Bishara, Marwan (29 May 2014). "The Rise of the oligarchs-postscript". Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  72. ^ Bishara, Marwan (22 March 2022). "On Happiness and Hypocrisy". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  73. ^ Bishara, Marwan (30 April 2019). "Arrogance, fanaticism and the prospect of a US-Iranian war". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  74. ^ Bishara, Marwan (18 September 2002). "Targeting Iraq : Waging war seldom leads to lasting peace". New York Times. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  75. ^ a b Bishara, Marwan (12 December 2002). "American Fatalism". Global Policy Forum. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  76. ^ Bishara, Marwan (23 February 2004). "Washington's new channel : Propaganda TV won't help the U.S." New York Times. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  77. ^ a b Bishara, Marwan (19 August 2008). "The Politics of Evil in the US Elections". Counterpunch. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  78. ^ Bishara, Marwan (20 May 2021). "Why Netanyahu thinks America is stupid". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  79. ^ Bishara, Marwan (3 January 2022). "A happier new year takes imagination and courage". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  80. ^ Bishara, Marwan (23 March 2016). "Dear America, don't be so damn gullible". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  81. ^ Bishara, Marwan (24 November 2023). "This Israel has no future in the Middle East". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  82. ^ Bishara, Marwan (12 October 2023). "Israel is manufacturing a case for genocide". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  83. ^ Bishara, Marwan (2003). Croisade anti-terroriste Broché (in French). La Decouverte. ISBN 978-2707138835.
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