Bob Simon, My Hero
By Daoud Kuttab As a journalist who must stay neutral on all issues, I make it a habit not to sign any petitions or political statements. However, in 1991 when I got a call from Francoise, the wife of Bob Simon to organize a petition on behalf of Simon, who was imprisoned by the Iraqi […]
For most Arabs, bin Laden and his views are long-dead
If al-Qaeda followers turn to Yemen to pursue the work of Osama bin Laden’s network, they will be in for a surprise. The people of Yemen, like most of the Arab world, have long since divorced themselves from bin Laden and his ideology, as they are showing in the youth-led Arab uprising. For the past few […]
Connected Arab youths
By Daoud Kuttab To understand what is happening in the Arab world today one needs to know only two things: that the majority of Arabs are young and for the most part connected to the net, and that despite the fear mongerers in the West, these connected Arab youths are secular although not totally opposed […]
Will We See WikiLeaks in Arabic Soon?
Nearly seven years ago, I met Danish journalist and freedom of media defender Jesper Hojberg in Amman Jordan and mentioned that we needed help in the Arab region with investigative journalism. Before long, Hojberg and his International Media Institute were able to help us translate this dream into a project that this week brought the […]
Are We Approaching a Major Conflict for Millions of Arab Youths?
(This was published in July 15th, 2010) By Daoud Kuttab Arab civil society leaders gathered on the shores of the Dead Sea were quite sure about the future of Arab youth. Leaders from Lebanon, Egypt, Yemen, Palestine (both West Bank and Gaza) and Jordan were invited by Naseej (“weaving” in Arabic), a five-year community development […]
All that is needed at this time is public Arab support
For all the theatrics and histrionics within the Arab League’s Cairo headquarters, Arab governments are unlikely to have any influence on Palestinian-Israeli negotiations. Like all regional organizations, the League of Arab States is inefficient as a collective body, and individual countries such as Saudi Arabia or Egypt wield more power than the 22-member league. In […]
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 […]
My letter to NYTimes editor
Israel and the Gaza War Published: September 24, 2009 To the Editor: Re “The Gaza Report’s Wasted Opportunity,†by David Landau (Op-Ed, Sept. 20): The only missed opportunity regarding the report by Richard Goldstone was Israel’s illogical refusal to meet with the United Nations commission headed by a respected South African jurist who also happens […]
Weakness Hawkish elements
Wednesday, June 24, 2009 Opinion NY Times Room for Debate June 23, 2009, 3:22 PM Weakening Hawkish Elements Daoud Kuttab is a Palestinian journalist and a former professor of journalism at Princeton University. No matter how the standoff in Iran ends up, two things have become clear. The power of digital technology can override analog […]
To rebuild trust
An Arab proverb says that a madman throws a stone in a drinking well and 100 wise men are needed to get the stone out. This proverb applies to the gigantic effort that US President Barack Obama will have to exert as he attempts to clean up the mess his predecessor created in the Arab […]