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‘No military solution’ say Israeli, Palestinian ex-fighters
By Daoud Kuttab The request for a travel permit seemed terribly innocent. An international filmmaker was debuting a film about Israeli and Palestinian peace activists and wanted the Palestinian activist to be present at the premier in West Jerusalem. But the Israeli authorities denied Shifa al-Qudsi‘s request.  In an interview with Al-Monitor, Qudsi expressed perplexity, though she wasn’t totally…
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‘We want water’ say Bethlehem area protesters
By Daoud Kuttab “We haven’t had water for nearly 40 days,†a caller to the Voice of Palestine radio station told the presenter of the show July 8. The caller lives in the picturesque village of Artas, southwest of Bethlehem, which is known for its fertile land and imposing monastery. Residents of the village are…
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False balance helps no one
By Daoud Kuttab One of the lessons professional journalists have learned over the years is that objectivity and balance can sometimes be wrongly used. If, as a journalist, you are witnessing rain, you are not obliged to report that one side says it is raining and the other side says it is not. You have…
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DON’T BLAME PALESTINIAN MEDIA FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THE ISRAELI OCCUPATION
By Daoud Kuttab When the international community recently slammed Israel’s illegal settlement activities, Israel’s Prime Minister responded that the problem is not settlements but Palestinian incitement. Benjamin Netanyahu also has rejected that Israeli troops controlling Palestinian lands are an occupational force, again insisting that the real problem is Palestinian schools books and tv stations inciting…
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We must all admit, it’s the occupation
By Daoud Kuttab Every psychologists or substance advisor will tell you that you can’t deal with disease or an addiction or any other problem without first recognizing that there is a problem. The same applies to the decades old Middle East conflict. The conflict has long passed the stage of being focused entirely about Israel’s…
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Promoting enlightenment
By Daoud Kuttab Countering violent extremism has become the flavour of the month recently, but if a leaked document is accurate, the government has been following a strategy to counter extremism for at least two years. The strategy of countering extremism states that it is based on three pillars: a correct interpretation of Islam, the need…
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Clinton’s not-so-Democratic Party when it comes to Israel
By Daoud Kuttab As first Lady, Hillary Clinton had the political courage to support Palestinian statehood and even have her picture taken as she kissed Suha Arafat on the cheek at the Christmas lights ceremony in Bethlehem. As a diplomat in her own right, Secretary Clinton often repeated the Obama Administration’s opposition to occupation and to the continued…
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Will next Palestinian president be handpicked by Abbas?
By Daoud Kuttab The holy month of Ramadan is an opportunity for people to gather in unison as they break their fast. This year, the key topic among Palestinians has been the issue of the Palestinian presidential succession. The various post-Mahmoud Abbas scenarios have engulfed talks in almost every home or restaurant that Palestinians have…
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Abbas in Amman back to the routine
By Daoud Kuttab The statement coming out of the Jordan News Agency, Petra, was very ordinary. It stated that President Mahmoud Abbas and his delegation made up of PLO secretary Saeb Erekat and head of the Palestinian intelligence service Majed Faraj were hosted by King Abdullah and the Crown Prince for an iftar banquet on…
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REVEALED: CAUSE OF JORDANIAN ANGER WITH PALESTINIANS
By Daoud Kuttab The report  published in the Jordan Times, was very ordinary. It stated that President Mahmoud Abbas and his delegation made up of PLO secretary Saeb Erekat and head of the Palestinian intelligence service Majed Faraj were hosted by King Abdullah and the Crown Prince for an iftar banquet on Wednesday, June 15….