For years whenever the PLO’s executive committee met, astute observers paid more attention to what happens the day before. Usually before important meetings of the PLO, crucial all night sessions of  the central committee of Fatah take place to set the framework for the more public PLO sessions. This traditional, in a slightly different form, has continued after the establishment of the Palestinian National Authority and the elections of the Palestinian Legislative Council. On the eve of the meetings of the Palestinian Legislative Council scheduled for Wednesday the 10^th of March, the Fatah caucus in the PLC met at the shelled out offices of the Palestinian president. Arafat, who is also the secretary general of Fatah called for the meeting to coordinate who will be the next speaker of the Palestinian parliament. The importance of this positions has added value because in the sudden absence of the president of the PNA, the speaker of parliament becomes president for a 60 day period until new elections can take place. Continue Reading »

In a desperate effort to reverse America’s negative image in the Arab world, a new Arabic-language television station called Alhurra (“the free one”) has been added to the diet of existing government-sponsored broadcasting outlets in the Arab region.

The new station joins America’s Radio Sawa and its slick Hi magazine as post-September 11 Arabic-language media tools that the US hopes to use to win Arab hearts and minds. Continue Reading »

It started with an email from an Israeli friend who wanted to know my thoughts about Ariel Sharon’s plan to unilaterally withdraw from Gaza. I paid little attention to the question – apparently a big deal for Israelis. On further thought, I emailed back that it might be interesting if real, and suggested a face-to-face meeting. Continue Reading »

The recent news from the World Economic Forum held in Davos was encouraging. Computer giant Microsoft has signed a one billion dollar agreement with UNDP. This five-year plan is aimed at bridging the digital divide in developing countries, starting with Egypt , Morocco and Mozambique .

While long over do, such corporate responsibility is highly welcomed. Continue Reading »

Five months after his resignation, the presence of Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) can be felt in every corner of the office of the Palestinian prime minister.

No, Palestine ‘s first prime minister is not lurking around in Ramallah, he has long disappeared from the public eye. But his shadow, and to be more accurate the shadow of the circumstances that led to his resignation are looming larger than life. Continue Reading »

2003 was not just the year that the statue and person of Saddam Hussein fell. A number of long held ideological issues relating to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict also came crumbling down. This ideological climb down, however was not symmetric in any way. Continue Reading »

I first met Richard Gere about six months ago. I was scheduled to take him on a tour of Ramallah, when that same morning, the Israeli army unexpectedly declared curfew on the Palestinian city. To his credit and despite strong objection from his handlers and bodyguards, the American movie star insisted on going ahead with his plans to visit Ramallah. Continue Reading »

There is no doubt that the arrest of the former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein marks an important turning point for Iraq and the American led occupation of this strategic Arab country. But the question that needs to be answered is how will this important event affect the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Continue Reading »

The last minute confusion on the Palestinian side prior to the signing of the Geneva initiative has once again revealed a major weakness in the Palestinian political position. An absence of a political backbone.

Yaser Arafat, the Palestinian president is known to have been a major supporter of the initiative which has been spearheaded by former minister of information Yaser Abed Rabo, an Arafat confidant. As long as the public was not making any sounds, the Palestinian leadership, especially the Fatah central committee, was ok with the initiative placing pressure on the Israelis. But no sooner than the public pressure surfaced than the Palestinian leadership, especially in Fatah, publicly back tracked and withdrew any kind of political cover to those involved in the initiative. Continue Reading »

Behind much of the recent anti-American statements and comment many Arabs are genuinely hoping for US President Bush to succeed in his vision for a more democratic Middle East. Nevertheless there are many reasons for this high level of scientism. US foreign policy in general and American policy towards the Middle East in particular has not shown consistency in this department. On the contrary American foreign policy is often the opposite of the democratic values that Americans espouse and enjoy within the continental USA. Continue Reading »