www.aljazeera.net – Al-jazeera, "the island" in English, is the well-known Satellite TV channel; this is their news website. The site includes breaking news stories from all over the world but with a special focus on Middle Eastern affairs. They also have an English version of the website at http://english.aljazeera.net.
www.alquds.co.uk – Alquds, a daily newspaper based in London, offers some of the best in-depth coverage of Middle Eastern political and regional affairs of any Arabic newspaper. Contains a special section called "Arab Affairs" that includes in-depth country analysis of political and economic developments for every Arab country.
www.alarabiya.net – Al-arabiya TV was launched in 2003 to provide an alternative to Al-jazeera. The news it provides is fairly similar to most of the Arab satellite TV stations except that its commentaries tend to be fairly progressive. Unlike at some other Arabic news outlets, the commentators and contributors tend to adopt a more moderate tone.
www.arabworldnews.com – Part of the World News Network, Arab World News offers some of the most comprehensive coverage of news in the Arab world than perhaps any other single website. It includes in-depth stories from a variety of sources, including Reuters, Gulf News, The Guardian, Asharq al-awsat, and others. If you want to get stories about the Middle East from a variety of reputable sources conveniently located in one place, then Arab World News is for you.
www.asharqalawsat.com – Asharq al-awsat, literally "The Middle Eastern", is one of the leading daily Arabic newspapers. It operates out of London and is particularly popular with Arabs and Muslims who live in Western countries. Some of its well-liked features include long investigative stories a la New York Times Magazine that deal with subjects such as "The Plight of the Afghan-Arabs" and "The Legacy of King Fahd". It’s so popular that when Tony Blair needed to appeal to the British Muslim community after 7/7, he wrote an op-ed piece in the paper. English Version Available here: http://www.asharqalawsat.com/english
www.azzaman.com – Azzaman, "The Times", deals almost exclusively with the Iraqi conflict. They have 3 main sections: News, Editorials, and Opinions. The Opinions section includes contributions from Iraqis who are on the ground in Iraq. If you want to find out what everyday Iraqis are experiencing daily and what they think about the current conflict, then you want to read this. English Version: http://www.azzaman.com/english
www.daralhayat.com – Dar Al-hayat, "The House of Life", is one of the most progressive newspapers coming out of the Middle East. Based out of Beirut, Lebanon, its op-ed and opinions pieces are fashionable with social activists and reformers throughout the region. You should check out this site if you want to find out what the reformers in the region are saying. English Version: http://english.daralhayat.com
www.elaph.com – One of the most popular news sites in the Arab world that is not known in the West. Includes breaking news updates, news analysis and opinions, and exclusive interviews with Arab leaders. It is the Slate of the Middle East and features a section called jariidat al-jariidaat, "the newspaper of newspapers" that provides a sampling of what’s being discussed in Arabic newspapers.
www.watan.com – Al-watan, "The Nation", is a weekly Arab-American newspaper that offers its readers opinion pieces and news analysis relating to the Arab experience in America. If you want to find out more about the mood of the Arab-American community, this is a good place to start.
Business
www.zawya.com – Zawya, based out of Dubai, is The Wall Street Journal of the Middle East. It is the premiere business and financial publication for the Middle East, North Africa (MENA) region. It offers the latest information on the Middle Eastern Equity Markets and provides in-depth, comprehensive coverage of the major sectors of the region’s economies. Subscription-based.
www.islamic-banking.com – Islam has a number of restrictions on investment procedures and allocation methods, such as the prohibition of short-selling and interest-generating investing. Find out more about Shariah (Islamic Jurisprudence) Compliant investing here. Available in English.
Organizations
www.aaiusa.org – The Arab American Institute, a nonprofit organization operating out of Washington D.C., is one of the leading policy and research organizations dealing with Arab-American domestic and policy issues.
www.arabbankers.org – The Arab Bankers Association of North America (ABANA) is a not-for-profit organization that connects professionals in the financial services arena and other key business sectors in the United States and the Middle East. They hold regular conferences and events that include topnotch speakers.
www.adc.org – More than a civil rights organization, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, offers some useful information on Arab Americans and the issues they face.
www.muslimheritage.com – Were the Dark Ages truly "dark" for all of humanity? Find out about the Arab and Islamic civilization renaissance and revival during Europe’s Dark Ages. One of the best websites offering invaluable insight regarding contributions to modern society by the Arab and Islamic world. A must see!
www.arabamericanmuseum.org
– The Arab American National Museum is the first museum in the world devoted to Arab American history and culture. The Museum brings to light the shared experiences of immigrants and ethnic groups, paying tribute to the diversity of our nation.
www.accesscommunity.org – The Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) is a way for Arab Americans to get involved in their local communities.
www.usaeforum.org – The
United States-Arab Economic Forum has a simple vision:
"One World. Two Cultures. Endless Possibilities". The
USAE Forum seeks to foster closer ties between the US
and the Arab world through economic integration.
Recommended Reading
All The Shah’s Men, by Stephen Kinzer.
America’s Secret War: Inside the Hidden Worldwide Struggle Between America and Its Enemies, by George Friedman.
Among the Believers: An Islamic Journey, by V.S. Naipaul.
Arab and Jew: Wounded Spirits in a Promised Land, by David Shipler.
Arabic: A Complete Course, by Amine Bouchentouf.
Beyond the Age of Innocence: Rebuilding Trust Between America and the Rest of the World, by Kishore Mahbubani.
From Beirut to Jerusalem, by Thomas Friedman.
Globalized Islam: The Search for a New Ummah, by Olivier Roy.
Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: America, the Cold War, and the Roots of Terror, by Mahmood Mamdani.
A History of the Arab Peoples, by Albert Hourani.
No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam, by Reza Aslan.
A Peace to End All Peace: The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East, by David Fromkin.
The Crusades Through Arab Eyes, by Amin Maalouf.
The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power, by Daniel Yergin.