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The Incursion of Politics into the Private Sphere

Authors Etgar Keret of Israel and Samir El-Youssef of Palestine take aim in their writing at the politicization of their societies, in an effort to rescue the private sphere from the long arm of ideology. Lewis Gropp spoke to them about their joint volume of short stories

The Arab Beat from Switzerland

Already in the mid-1980s, Pat Jabbar and his band 'Aisha Kandisha's Jarring Effects' mixed Arab traditional music with dub, trance and house elements. Stefan Franzen talked to Jabbar about his label and the collaboration with the 'Pope of Dub', Bill Laswell

"I Defend My Right to Defend My Right"

Following her widely acclaimed featured performance on Gilad Atzmon's "Exile", the British-Palestinian singer Reem Kelani has released her own debut album, establishing herself as important artist in the Palestinian musical tradition. By Lewis Gropp

Palestinian Blues

Reem Kelani, Palestinian multi-talent, sings traditional Palestinian Songs, as well as Jazz and Blues. Although she's got a doctorate in Coastal Marine Biology, she always wanted to be a singer. A portrait by Martina Sabra

"Mozart Is No Better Than Dede Efendi"

Sarband endeavours to show connections between European, Islamic and Jewish music-culture. "Dream of the Orient" is the name of the ensemble's musical program that demonstrates Turkish influences on 18th century European music. Susanne Güsten reports

New Co-operation Opportunities for Europe and the Arab World

Khaula Saleh spoke to Volker Perthes, Middle East expert and director of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin, and asked him about the political significance of the Mediterranean Union founded in Paris by the EU and the 18 littoral states of the Mediterranean in Europe, north Africa, and the Middle East

No Free Trade in Sight

One of the aims of the "Euro-Mediterranean Partnership" launched in 1995, was to establish a regional free trade zone by the year 2010. But the North African partner countries still have a long way to go in that direction. Bernhard Schmid explains the background

"It Is Imperative to Have a New Economic Order!"

How do Arab globalisation critics regard the G8 and relation to the problems of the developing nations? Ahmad Hissou discussed this issue with Nahid Badawiyyah, Syria, Ibrahim Obaha, Morocco, and Lutz Rogler, Germany

The New Dream of the Old Leading Role

Germany's Chancellor Merkel and France's President Sarkozy have agreed to transform the EU's current cooperation with its Mediterranean neighbours into a Mediterranean Union. Abed Othman asked Middle East expert Rudolph Chimelli what it's all about

France as a Centre of Political Gravity

Nicolas Sarkozy has chalked up an initial success as a peace broker in the Middle East with the foundation of the Mediterranean Union. But how solid is the new collaboration, and what are the strategic considerations behind it? Bernard Schmid has the details