Are serious negotiations around the corner or is this a mirage?
By Daoud Kuttab Palestinians and many others around the world are trying to figure out whether the current US-backed push to restart Mideast talks will lead to serious negotiations or will it be just another act that leads nowhere. The US peace envoy George Mitchell has been making the rounds trying to restart Palestinian-Israeli talks. […]
Fatehgate – between fact and fiction
By Daoud Kuttab Corruption has always been the Achilles heel of the Palestinian leadership. At the height of PLO’s popularity in the 1970s and 1980s, the relationship between revolution and money was the movement’s major weakness. Well-respected Palestinian artist Kamal Boulatta best reflected this dichotomy in his painting mixing the words thawra (revolution) and tharwa […]
Filippo Grandi, a new commissioner intent on defending the rights and living conditions of Palestinian refugees
Filippo Grandi was clearly prepared for his new mission. Defending and preserving the rights and interests of Palestinian refugees. As deputy commissioner, the Italian born Grandi was very much versed in the workings of the UN, familiar with his international and local staffs, understood the politics and politicians of the Middle East and knew exactly […]
Jordanians to enjoy Kids News soon
Jordanian children will be able to hear and see televised news geared to them in the near future. A memorandum of understanding to introduce the internationally known Kids News program to Jordanian kids was signed Saturday at the Dead Seas between the Dutch based Free Voice by Bart Dijkstra with Jordan’s Community Media Network by […]
Palestinian Christian priests call for non-violent resistance
By Daoud Kuttab The voice of Father Jamal Khader coming over the waves of Radio Mawwal in Bethlehem was soothing and confident. A caller asked him to explain the words of Jesus, “to love your enemyâ€, in light of the occupation and walls built by Israel and the injustice against Palestinians. Father Khader, who was […]
Electronic Media Debate
By Daoud Kuttab The decision by the Court of Cassation to classify websites as “publications” and thus apply the Press and Publications Law to them is troubling. Unlike other laws that criminalise press violations, Jordan’s Press and Publications Law only allows civilian punishment, meaning that electronic media violators might be fined, but not jailed. But […]