Archive for March, 2012

Mar 28 2012

NY Times Public Editor responds to me

Published by under Articles

Thanks for your message. I would agree that the absence of comment supporting the boycott initiative was unfortunate. Clearly, that perspective should have been represented in the story. I queried the Metro desk and one of its editors offered a note of explanation and background, saying that the reporter emailed the boycott group asking for comment and that the group left a voicemail in response for him at about 10:30 p.m., acknowledging it was past his deadline. The Metro desk acknowledged the story should have said that the boycott supporters could not immediately be reached for comment. The desk also explained that the outreach to the boycott group was late because the story became “more expansive” late in day. The story was set in motion, the desk said, by the decision of candidate DeBlasio to speak out over the weekend, which prompted questions to Mayor Bloomberg at the Greek-American Parade and then (by The Times) at a Monday press event. After that, The Times decided to reach out to other politicians.

Again, thanks for your message.

Sincerely,

Art Brisbane
public editor

I had earlier sent this letter to the NY Times Public editor

dear Sir

The report (link below) is totally biased with lots of quotes from officials and citizens who are opposed to the boycott vote and none in favor. Also most quoted have no standing and therefore are not relevant but are outsiders trying to influence a vote by members of the coop

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/27/nyregion/boycott-plan-at-park-slope-food-co-op-draws-politicians-opposition.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20120327

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Mar 28 2012

Why Is U.S. Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen Against the Two-state Solution?

Published by under Articles,US-Middle East

 

By Daoud Kuttab

The U.S. president and the executive branch have the most significant role in making foreign policy and are responsible for carrying it out.

Congress has the right to approve, recommend or reject foreign aid bills submitted to it, but it rarely blatantly opposes the executive branch’s foreign policy decisions.

Regarding the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, American policy appears to have been uniform by both parties. In the past two decades, the U.S. has been clearly in of the two-state solution as the bedrock of America’s foreign policy. Such a policy is translated in political and diplomatic terms, as well as in the details of its foreign aid. Continue Reading »

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Mar 27 2012

Doha agreement resolves major obstacle

Published by under Articles,Palestinian politics

the following appeared in the Jordan times

by Daoud Kuttab | Feb 16,2012 | 23:22

After months of hibernation, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict seems to be getting more attention of late. Despite the volatility of the situation in Syria and Egypt the most recent agreement reached in the Qatari capital received a lot of media attention. It also seems to have touched a number of political nerves, especially within the Hamas movement in Gaza.

While the agreement in Doha was not the first public display of reconciliation between leaders of the largest Palestinian factions, many felt that this time, the agreement was for real. Why?
Continue Reading »

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Mar 27 2012

Christian Zionism challenged in Bethlehem, Palestine

By Daoud Kuttab

For the second year running a unique event took place in the Palestinian town of Bethlehem this week. Christian evangelicals that many consider as most ardent supporters for Israel (often more so than many Israelis) were guests of a Palestinian Christian gathering.

The “Christ at the Checkpoint” conference, sponsored by Bethlehem Bible College, hosted over 600 evangelicals from around the world, but primarily from the US. Among the leading evangelicals attending this Palestinian-sponsored event were Rev. Joel Hunter, the spiritual adviser to US President Barack Obama, theologian Tony Campollo, social activists Ron Sider and Lyn Hybes, British pastor Stephen Sizer, community leader Shahen Claiborne, Messianic leader Wayne Hilsden and Asian reverend Sang-Bok David Kim. Continue Reading »

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Mar 27 2012

Palestine Inspires Arab Community Media

Published by under Articles,Media Activism

following ran in the Jordan Times

by Daoud Kuttab

Palestinians took advantage of the withdrawal of Israeli troops from populated cities and the transitional period to capture their airwaves and provide local communities with radio and television programmes.

At times, some of the young entrepreneurs involved in this were forced to buy used transmitters from the Israeli black market. Most were used by Israeli army units that had been replaced by newer models.

The Palestinian National Authority was supportive, knowing that it would be useful if the Israelis one day decided to stop the approved official national radio and television. Actually this happened after Israel’s destruction of Palestine TV studios and Voice of Palestine towers. Continue Reading »

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Mar 27 2012

Israeli chutzpah, again

Published by under Articles,Palestinian politics

following article ran in the Jordan Times

by Daoud Kuttab | Mar 21,2012 | 22:37

Hana Shalabi has been on hunger strike for over a month. Her condition has been deteriorating so badly that prison officials had to transfer her to a Haifa hospital.

Shalabi is protesting being held in administrative detention. This is a quasi-legal action through which Israel incarcerates individuals without charge or proper trial. Israel inherited this undemocratic procedure from the British mandate, which enacted it as part of the 1945 emergency regulations.

International humanitarian law considers this procedure illegal and Israel was asked by the international community on numerous occasions to end this practice. Continue Reading »

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Mar 27 2012

Ahlan Wasahlan in Al Quds (Jerusalem)

Published by under Articles,Palestinian politics

By Daoud Kuttab

The invitation by the Palestinian president to Arabs and Moslems to visit Jerusalem is long overdue. But it is better late than never. Jerusalem’s 300,000 Palestinians badly needed this invitation which comes at a time that their natural hinterland (the rest of the West Bank) has been cut of from them.

For years Arabs and Moslems have shied away from visiting Jerusalem and other Palestinian lands for a variety of reasons. Most have no opportunity to go even if they wanted to. With the exception of Egypt and Jordan (the latter only since 1994) no other Arab country has diplomatic relations with Israel. Non Arab states with substantial Moslem populations can come and some have in the past decades mostly through one off tourism junkets. I have seen Moslems, from Indonesia, Sirlanka, India, South Africa and Bangladesh among others crossing into Palestine through the King Hussein Bridge. Continue Reading »

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Mar 15 2012

Arab Spring Activists Inspired to Capture Airwaves

Published by under Articles,Media Activism

 

By Daoud Kuttab

Palestinians took advantage of the withdrawal of Israeli troops from populated cities and the transitional period to capture their airwaves and provide local communities with radio and television programs.

At times, some of the young entrepreneurs involved in this were forced to buy used transmitters from the Israeli black market. Most were used by Israeli army units that had been replaced by newer models. Continue Reading »

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Mar 03 2012

Unclear Motives Behind Raid on Two Palestinian TV Stations

Published by under Articles,Media Activism

 

By Daoud Kuttab

In the summer of 1996, I was excited to hear the good news. The Palestinian Ministry of Information had agreed to a request to grant us a license for an educational television station to broadcast in Ramallah. With little funding and tremendous passion we began building up the station with trained staff, equipment and production capacity.

Having grown up in the U.S., I tried to run the new Palestinian station as a hybrid between PBS and C-Span. In April 1997 we launched the first season ever of Shara’a Simsim, the Palestinian version of Sesame Street. It was a humble production with 20 15-minute episodes, but for us it was huge. Continue Reading »

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Mar 02 2012

Will Arabs and Muslims Visit Jerusalem?

Published by under Articles,Palestinian politics

 

By Daoud Kuttab

The invitation by the Palestinian president to Arabs and Muslims to visit Jerusalem is long overdue. But it is better late than never.

Jerusalem’s 300,000 Palestinians badly needed this visit, which comes at a time that their natural hinterland (the rest of the West Bank) has been cut off from them.

For years Arabs and Muslims have shied away from visiting Jerusalem and other Palestinian lands for a variety of reasons. Most have no opportunity to go even if they want to. With the exception of Egypt andJordan (the latter only since 1994) no other Arab country has diplomatic relations with Israel. Continue Reading »

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