‘Omar’ Oscar nomination a win for Palestinian film industry
By Daoud Kuttab When the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences met for the 86th Oscars, Palestinian filmmaker Annemarie Jacir hosted an all-night party in Amman, hoping Hany Abu-Assad’s “Omar” would win the trophy for best foreign film. “We are burning the midnight candle and crossing our fingers,†she told Al-Monitor before the results were known in the very early […]
Palestinian government may soon pass transparency law
By Daoud Kuttab The possibility that Palestine will soon have an access-to-information law is looking promising. Concrete steps by the Palestinian government and a public advocacy campaign are being taken to prepare for such a decision. Despite the Palestinian Legislative Council being dormant for seven years due to the internal Palestinian split, Ramallah is poised to pass a […]
Abbas should condition peace talks on lifting Gaza siege
By Daoud Kuttab The stage appears set, if the Palestinian leadership chooses, to reconcile the Gaza Strip with the West Bank and end the unjust siege that has fallen on Gaza for the past seven years. Palestinian-Israeli peace talks scheduled over a period of nine months are due to end in April. Palestinians had agreed in late […]