Palestinian Finance Minister Resigns Amid Cash Crisis
By Daoud Kuttab Khalil Abu Arafeh’s cartoon, which ran in the Sunday, March 3 edition of the leading Palestinian newspaper Al Quds, left no doubt as to the reason behind the resignation of Nabil Qassis, the Palestinian minister of finance. Abu Arafeh showed an empty safe, with Prime Minister Salam Fayyad’s hands folded next to […]
Palestinian Reconciliation Ends in Angry Exchange
By Daoud Kuttab The Feb. 20 event held at the PLO offices in Ramallah was supposed to produce a warming of relations between the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and the various PLO groups led by Fatah. At the podium was Dr. Abdel Aziz Dweik, the former head of the Palestine Legislative Council, who was […]
Abu Mazen Plays Neutral On West Bank Protests
By Daoud Kuttab One of the biggest questions being raised these days is whether the Ramallah-based Palestinian leadership favors the escalation of Palestinian protests. For the past few weeks, Palestinian anger has been publicly displayed in various forms, most prominently in street protests that have raised speculation that a third intifada could be around the corner. […]
Woe
By Daoud Kuttab Amazing what a difference a year can make. Last year we met in Tunis and signed agreements with young activists in various countries to do what seemed the impossible. Defy the logic that has prevailed in the Arab world namely that it is easier to change governments and bring down dictators than […]
Israel Should Recognize Rights Of Palestinian Journalists
By Daoud Kuttab One of the most basic principles of journalism is the need for members of the press to have an opportunity to witness a particular event or have a chance to talk to their subjects. This principle applies to both Palestinian and Israeli journalists alike. But the reality in occupied Palestine is […]
Israel Wants PA to Crack Down On Protests Over Prisoners
By Daoud Kuttab For the second time in a year, the suffering of Palestinian prisoners has touched the consciousness of Palestinians and has put the Israelis in a corner. While Palestinian politicians have been talking about a reconciliation that is spinning its wheels, or about what to say to Barack Obama, the real story is […]
Fatah and Hamas Consider Interim Agreement to Manage Split
By Daoud Kuttab While all indications, actions on the ground and public statements appear to show movement in the Palestinian national-reconciliation process, the reality is that it is still facing stumbling blocks. Palestinian leaders from Hamas and Fatah are meeting regularly. Also meeting with them are other factions (the Palestinian Liberation Organization [PLO] and Islamic Jihad) […]
Palestine Should Not Wait for Obama
By Daoud Kuttab As Palestinian political strategists are in the process of preparing for the first visit ever of President Barack Obama to the state of Palestine, new thinking is emerging. Instead of routinely preparing for a set of demands and tactical gains to be accomplished, some are worried that the visit might slow down a […]
‘Prisoner X’ Draws Attention To Palestinians in Israeli Jails
By Daoud Kuttab The issue of Palestinians held in Israeli jails, and especially those held without being charged or tried, received a publicity boost this week from an unexpected source. The revelation by Australian television of the disappearance of Ben Zygier, a dual Australian-Israeli citizen, and the accompanying self-censorship practiced by Israeli media, has once again […]
Palestinians Gain in Jordan Elections
By Daoud Kuttab Palestine was very much present in the latest elections of the 17th Jordanian parliament. But it wasn’t the way you think.  In Jordan, Palestine from a political point of view is a consensus issue. Very few people differ on the need to end the Israeli occupation and setting up a Palestinian […]