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In Deal of the Century, Palestinians Stranded Between Two Elections UK £2 Issue 242, Year 5 EU €2.50 February 2, 2020 www.thearabweekly.com Hints Middle East Lebanon’s of Qatari after Brexit many scandal crises Page 14 Page 18 Pages 3,10 Arabic language learning industry on the rise but apprenticeship is complex Native speakers often recognise the difficulty of learning Arabic. Khadija “I can only salute their efforts. Hamouchi Myself, an Arabic ‘native’ speaker, I am in continuous language training through my daily read- earning the Arabic ing activity,” said Farah, a young language is no longer Jordanian banker in Dubai. solely the concern of Informal surveys of students parents in the Arab show difficulties of grammar, diaspora regarding their the different script and the vast Looking at elections. US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu foreign-born children logic difference between Arabic take part in the announcement of US Middle East peace plan at the White House, January 28. (AFP) Land a scattering of others around as a Semitic language and English the world. as a Latin language. “The main Hundreds of thousands of challenge is to educate learners language learners worldwide are from the onset about the diglossic attracted to Arabic, making the nature of Arabic, i.e., the split be- In Deal of the Century, language ever more relevant in the tween classical and the dialects,” 21st century. That trend led lead- Abouzahr said. ing language learning app Duolin- Sara said: “Learners need to go to add Arabic to its repertoire understand that there are several Palestinians stranded last June. levels to the language. Not all dia- The Arab World Institute in Paris lects will make them understood announced the first internation- everywhere.” ally recognised certification that Most classes in accredited lan- between two elections assesses proficiency in mod- guage-learning institutions focus ern standard Arabic, a much- rigidly on classical Arabic and its acclaimed development among grammar, which represents only The Arab Weekly staff The deal was expected to help US Jews are divided on Trump. It Arabic teachers and learning part of the picture of the language. Trump court the Evangelical Chris- was not surprising that Palestinian institutions. “I sometimes wished my profes- tian right, an important part of his President Mahmoud Abbas cited “More than 415,000 people sor linked the grammar, vocabu- London political base. criticism of the deal by J street, a have started the course since our lary and syntax of classical Arabic “Trump needs them, their money, liberal Jewish organisation that is launch on June 26, 2019,” said to one local dialect. I would have S President Donald Trump’s their presence at his rallies and their not part of Trump’s constituen- Michaela Kron, Duolingo’s public learnt more efficiently and rel- much-anticipated Middle continued support in the elections,” cies. relations manager. “To give a evantly to daily life,” said Amelia East peace plan was short said Israeli columnist Nahum Barnea. Both US and Israeli leaders also point of comparison, we launched Blunt, a British student in Middle U on surprises but not on Trump’s pro-Israel stances have have legal trouble in common. our Hindi course, a highly re- Eastern studies. US and Israeli claims of “historic” momentum in the US Republican Trump is facing an impeachment quested course, in 2018. In the achievement. establishment. A recent Gallup Poll trial in the US Senate and Netan- first month, the course had about The initiative announced Janu- indicated that Republican respond- yahu is defending himself against 53,000 active learners, compared Beyond the political ary 28 would extend Israel’s control ents had shifted to a more pro-Israel corruption charges. As he with- to the 415,000 active learners (for over Jerusalem and allow it to an- stance in the past ten years. In 1988, drew his request of immunity, the Arabic course).” drive and motives, nex a good part of West Bank settle- Gallup said 47% of Republican and Netanyahu was hoping his asso- In the United States, following interest had to do ments, including the Jordan Valley. 42% of Democratic respondents ciation with Trump could help him the 9/11 attacks, the 2003 US-led more altruism and The Palestinians, who were not in- sided with the Israelis in the conflict change the narrative at home. invasion of Iraq and the Arab volved in putting the plan together, with the Palestinians. In March 2019, Interestingly, Arab-Israelis (pre- uprisings, universities could not cultural enrichment were offered the conditional promise 43% of Democrats stated pro-Israel 1948 Palestinians) could weigh open enough classes to satisfy outlooks. of demilitarised statehood, a 4-year positions while 76% of Republican in against Netanyahu’s fortunes. demands of students. Many of “freeze” on settlements and $50 bil- asked said they sided with Israel. Ayman Odeh, leader of the Joint those pursuing Middle Eastern Key players in the industry are lion in economic incentives. The Democratic Party has increas- List of Arab parties in the Israeli studies, politics and global affairs addressing the problems. The Rather than an opening towards ingly shifted to progressive positions. parliament, said “the path to trial study classical Arabic or modern Duolingo app teaches the alphabet negotiations, the proposal is a pack- Many of the reactions by Democratic is paved and no diplomatic public standard Arabic. methodically, introduces grammar age left at the door of the Palestinians presidential nomination contenders relations stunt in the world” would “All these global events spurred with context and provides phonet- with the option, US diplomats said, to were critical of the Trump plan. prevent Netanyahu from being a policy interest, more media ics exercises. A tour at language accept or offer an alternative to it. brought to justice. coverage and high-paying jobs sections of libraries in Lebanon In recent years, US positions have As they head to the Americans and Israelis seem in the intelligence community in provides learners with introduc- been clearly favourable to Israel, in- wary of the risk that electoral one- particular,” said Hossam Abou- tory books about local dialects. United Nations to protest, cluding the recognition of the Jewish upmanship in Israel could make zahr, a Lebanese American who “We face a new generation of state’s sovereignty over Jerusalem the Palestinians face things worse for the Palestinians, started the Living Arabic Project learners who juggle between mod- and the Golan Heights. repercussions not only with extremists in Israel pushing online initiative to support learn- ern standard Arabic to understand The absence of the Palestinians of the US and Israeli for immediate annexation of set- ing Arabic. the media and fieldwork with local was glaring both in the preparation of elections but also the tlements and the United States re- Beyond the political and job- communities. We are becoming the plan as in regard to the theatrics fallout of changed luctant to get involved. prospect drive, interest centred on aware of this need and act accord- of its announcement. As they head to realities of the region. Washington would like to avoid altruism and cultural enrichment. ingly during our lessons,” said the United Nations to pro- a showdown before Israel’s “Many of our students are Hameed Abdulrahman, a freelance test, the Palestinians find March 2 election. White House humanitarian aid workers travel- teacher in Cairo. themselves stranded be- senior adviser Jared Kushner ling to the Middle East but also The Arabic language learning tween two elections and expressed “the hope” that young corporate professionals industry is getting attention from the changed realities of Israelis “wait until after the based in the Middle East willing all sides and what would serve the region. election and we’ll work with to converse with the locals,” said learners even better is the creation Observers saw the them to try to come up with Aline Sara, CEO of NaTakallam, an of a methodical approach to how White House announce- something.” award-winning start-up offering the language is used daily. ment as less pertinent to Israel’s Channel 12 reported conversational learning pro- Middle East peacemak- that Israeli Finance Minister grammes delivered by refugees. Khadija Hamouchi, an ing than to forthcoming Moshe Kahlon told Palestin- Abouzahr said Arab-American award-winning technology elections in the United ian Authority Civil Affairs communities have become more entrepreneur and researcher, States and Israel. Minister Hussein al-Sheikh established and integrated, creat- is the co-founder of Jawla Inc, Israel has its third election in less the Palestinians should “tem- ing increased interest in learning an online publishing tool for than a year next month. Prime Min- per their response until after the about Arab culture in museums right-to-left languages, including Protesting. Palestinian and through cultural and media Arabic in particular. She conveys ister Binyamin Netanyahu’s Likud President Mahmoud Abbas March elections in Israel” because events. “Even Netflix and Hulu stories of change and homegrown party has a narrow lead in polls over speaks in the West Bank city “everything could change after the have modern Arabic shows,” he intellectual thinking in the Middle the centrist Blue and White alliance of Ramallah, January 22. (AP) vote.” of Benny Gantz. P2,6-7,11 said. East and North Africa. 2 February 2, 2020 Top news Britain Reactions to US Mideast peace warns Israel initiative reflect regional divide against annexation Mohammed Alkhereiji The Arab Weekly staff London egional reactions to US London President Donald Trump’s much-anticipated Deal of ritain warned Israel R the Century varied from against seizing parts of cautious support to complete rejec- the West Bank in line tion, leaving the latest attempt at B with US President Donald resolving the decades-long Israeli- Trump’s peace plan for Israelis Palestinian conflict up in the air.
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