Omar Al Issawi
Encyclopedia
Omar al-Issawi born June 4, 1967, is a Lebanese
human rights activist and previously a journalist, director, producer, and television personality.
Between 1994 and 1996 al-Issawi was a reporter with the BBC
Arabic World Service Television. On August 9, 1995 he was shot and wounded while on assignment for the BBC. The incident took place in Krajina
during the Bosnian war
.
In 1996 he was one of the original staff recruited for the launch of Al Jazeera.
In June 2011 al-Issawi ended his 15-year association with Al Jazeera. He subsequently joined Human Rights Watch as Director of Advocacy and Communications for the Middle East and North Africa region.
His most notable documentaries are the landmark 15-part The War of Lebanon, the first documentary of its kind entirely produced in the Arab world. It was commercially available as a DVD set with English
and French
subtitles and the 2008/2009 production A Tale of Revolution, a 13-part chronicle of the history of the Palestine Liberation Organization
. No word on whether this set will see a commercial release although all episodes are available in Arabic
on YouTube.
A 6-part English-language version began airing on Al Jazeera English on July 13, 2009 under the title PLO: History of a Revolution. The final episode was broadcast on August 17, 2009. Al-Issawi penned a "making of" article to go with the program.
Al-Issawi was the subject of an extensive article in the New Yorker
magazine in April 2003. He was also featured in New York magazine, Newsweek
as well as The Nation
He has also appeared on CNN and was a guest on the Larry King
Show.
Al-Issawi has been an occasional analyst for Al Jazeera's English-language channel, commenting on Lebanese affairs, and has contributed to its website.
In 2009 The Guardian
newspaper named al-Issawi as a "living national icon" of Lebanon.
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
human rights activist and previously a journalist, director, producer, and television personality.
Between 1994 and 1996 al-Issawi was a reporter with the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Arabic World Service Television. On August 9, 1995 he was shot and wounded while on assignment for the BBC. The incident took place in Krajina
Krajina
-Etymology:In old-Croatian, this earliest geographical term appeared at least from 10th century within the Glagolitic inscriptions in Chakavian dialect, e.g. in Baška tablet about 1105, and also in some subsequent Glagolitic texts as krayna in the original medieval meaning of inlands or mainlands...
during the Bosnian war
Bosnian War
The Bosnian War or the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between April 1992 and December 1995. The war involved several sides...
.
In 1996 he was one of the original staff recruited for the launch of Al Jazeera.
In June 2011 al-Issawi ended his 15-year association with Al Jazeera. He subsequently joined Human Rights Watch as Director of Advocacy and Communications for the Middle East and North Africa region.
His most notable documentaries are the landmark 15-part The War of Lebanon, the first documentary of its kind entirely produced in the Arab world. It was commercially available as a DVD set with English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
subtitles and the 2008/2009 production A Tale of Revolution, a 13-part chronicle of the history of the Palestine Liberation Organization
Palestine Liberation Organization
The Palestine Liberation Organization is a political and paramilitary organization which was created in 1964. It is recognized as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" by the United Nations and over 100 states with which it holds diplomatic relations, and has enjoyed...
. No word on whether this set will see a commercial release although all episodes are available in Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
on YouTube.
A 6-part English-language version began airing on Al Jazeera English on July 13, 2009 under the title PLO: History of a Revolution. The final episode was broadcast on August 17, 2009. Al-Issawi penned a "making of" article to go with the program.
Al-Issawi was the subject of an extensive article in the New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
magazine in April 2003. He was also featured in New York magazine, Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
as well as The Nation
The Nation
The Nation is the oldest continuously published weekly magazine in the United States. The periodical, devoted to politics and culture, is self-described as "the flagship of the left." Founded on July 6, 1865, It is published by The Nation Company, L.P., at 33 Irving Place, New York City.The Nation...
He has also appeared on CNN and was a guest on the Larry King
Larry King
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" King is an American television and radio host whose work has been recognized with awards including two Peabodys and ten Cable ACE Awards....
Show.
Al-Issawi has been an occasional analyst for Al Jazeera's English-language channel, commenting on Lebanese affairs, and has contributed to its website.
In 2009 The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
newspaper named al-Issawi as a "living national icon" of Lebanon.
Filmography (Director/Producer)
- Harb Loubnan (War of Lebanon, 2002, 15-part documentary)
- Hekayat Thawra (A Tale of Revolution: The History of the PLO, 2009, 13-part documentary)
- PLO: History of a Revolution (6-part English-language version of the Arabic PLO series)