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How Palestine plans to shift its media strategy
By Daoud Kuttab You would expect the holder of the title “director of strategic communications and English-language spokesman†to talk about how to woo The New York Times or how to convince the BBC for positive write-ups about Palestine. But while Jamal Dajani — appointed Jan. 26 as new media guru for Palestine’s prime minister…
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Guest workers in Jordan
By Daoud Kuttab The preliminary results of the national census in Jordan show that Syrian refugees number around 1.3 million. Along with other nationalities, non-Jordanians now compose what amounts to 31 per cent of the total population. Of the 9.5 million people living in Jordan, 6.6 million are Jordanian citizens, according to the Census Bureau….
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The man behind the future of education in Palestine
For more than 52 years, Palestinians completing 12th grade have faced a stressful, life-changing experience. Their admission to university has depended on how they do on a single, national exam. The “tawjihi,†the comprehensive matriculation exam designed to test knowledge and ability, has been a source of incredible pressure for students, their families and communities…
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Abbas defends policy
By Daoud Kuttab In today’s politically expedient age, it has become rare to see a leader defend one of his own. Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, went on air this week, attempting to deflect the avalanche of angry protests directed at the Palestinian intelligence chief Majid Faraj. Faraj and a chief Palestinian negotiator were featured…
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Palestinian intelligence chief undermines his own political ambitions
By Daoud Kuttab The head of the Palestinian intelligence service, Maj. Gen. Majid Faraj, is often seen traveling alongside Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. In fact, Faraj has been considered by local and international analysts as one of the possible successors of the Palestinian leader. Â Faraj rarely talks to the media, but in one of his…
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When tribal law supersedes civil law
By Daoud Kuttab AÂ murder took place in Jordan. The suspected killer is known, but unlike in normal cases, this time it was addressed by tribal law. Tribal law is not new in Jordan. It has existed for centuries and the modern nation state has found ways to accommodate it. Civil courts have often been presented…








