Sep
30
2012
By Daoud Kuttab
For the second time in less than three months a leader of a major US party stereotypes Palestinians in racists and anti peace terms. The revelation of Mitt Romney’s foreign policy attitudes towards Palestinians sheds light on the gap between declared policies and the truth. In Jerusalem this summer Romney described to his fat cat funders that Palestinian culture is the reason that they are so much inferior to Israelis/Jews because the latter’s per capita is much bigger than that of Palestinians. No indication was made that Palestinians live under a four decade old military occupation.
A similar stereotypical attitude was expressed last May when Romney addressed his funders in the US. A secretly taped conversation at a fundraiser with the Republican nominee shows a total rejection by Romney to his party’s and the general US and world policy in support of a two state solution for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Continue Reading »
Sep
09
2012
By Daoud Kuttab
Anyone following the Palestinian struggle for liberation understands that the only path to success today is through a concerted, holistic, non-violent approach.
Palestinian leaders, including President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, have been repeatedly and consistently opposing any violent solution and supporting acts of popular non-violent resistance. Recently, they even succeeded in convincing the leaders of the Islamic Hamas movement to utter the words “popular resistance,” even if Hamas has not acted on them.
Using non-violence requires a high degree of discipline, and sophisticated media and public relations approach. The entire premise of this form of struggle is based on the need to win the hearts and minds of one’s opponents, as well as of those in countries that are supporting one’s adversaries. Continue Reading »
Aug
30
2012
By Daoud Kuttab
After years of travel restrictions, Israel last month opened up its borders to many (not all, of course) Palestinians from the West Bank. In Nablus alone, 17,000 permits were issued out of 25,000 applications. Certain age groups were allowed in without a permit.
The occasion was the holy month of Ramadan, but there is no denial that a decision was taken somewhere in the Israeli military establishment to loosen up the big prison that millions of Palestinians find themselves in. Continue Reading »
Aug
16
2012
By Daoud Kuttab
The presumptive Republican nominee for U.S. president, Mitt Romney, gave himself the authority to declare a cultural war in West Jerusalem this week.
As part of his efforts to woo wealthy Jewish donors to contribute to his campaign, he declared that nations are better off because of culture and indirectly suggested that Israel be added to America’s exceptionalism theory. Continue Reading »
Aug
16
2012
By Daoud Kuttab
The past two and a half decades witnessed the slow death of the Palestine Liberation Organization. The PLO, established in June 1964 by the Arab League and then taken over internally by the various resistance movements, led by Fateh, is credited with the unification of the Palestinians in the diaspora. It is also seen as the main factor that reignited the Palestinian identity in pursuit of national liberation. Continue Reading »
Aug
09
2012
By Daoud Kuttab
The belief in Palestine is that the office of the president is responsible for major national and international policies and initiatives, while the office of the prime minister is responsible for executing these policies.
For the most part, this has been the norm in Palestine’s temporary capital, Ramallah. The West Bank-Gaza split and attempts to reunite the two Palestinian enclaves have been solely the responsibility of President Mahmoud Abbas. Until now. Continue Reading »
Jul
05
2012
By Daoud Kuttab
Something deep and painful was broken in Ramallah this week: along with the bones broken by violent Palestinian plainclothes and official security officials dealing with a protest, Palestinian trust was permanently wounded.
The protests were called for by non-partisan youth protesting the intended, unprecedented, visit by the Israeli vice premier, Shaul Mofaz, to Ramallah. Palestinian protesters made a strong argument for their opposition to the Mofaz visit. Continue Reading »
Jun
20
2012
following appeared in today’s Jordan Times
For Investigative Journalism
by Daoud Kuttab
In celebrating the successful investigative journalism feat carried out recently in private centres that house children with disabilities in Jordan, King Abdullah hosted at the Royal Palace two women Jordanian journalists who are involved in investigative journalism.
The meeting reveals much about what is needed for investigative journalism to get a major push in Jordan.
In welcoming Radio Al Balad’s Hanan Khandakji and Jordan TV’s Suha Karaja, King Abdullah praised the courage of the young journalists. The Jordan news agency, Petra, quoted His Majesty as saying, correctly, that investigative journalism is an important tool for monitoring and accountability. Continue Reading »
May
31
2012
following ran in the Jordan Times
By Daoud Kuttab
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The Palestinian conflict is going through one of its strangest stages these days. So much is going against Palestine, yet so much is going for it.
Israel was never as arrogant in its treatment of Palestinians and its expansionist policy, and the U.S. government as well as the international community seem inept.
Yet, despite Israel’s arrogance and world government’s apathy, international support for Palestinians at so many levels has never been as high.
On the ground in Palestine, Israel is ignoring the basic demands of thousands of hunger striking Palestinians. Prisoners are demanding basic rights as simple as family visits, obtaining books and an end to administrative detentions. Two Palestinians held without trial or charge are in their second month of hunger strike, putting their lives in real danger. Continue Reading »
May
31
2012
By Daoud Kuttab
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stunned Israelis Tuesday morning with a political shocker. He convinced his largest opposition leader, Shaul Mofaz, to join the coalition, thus cancelling early elections scheduled for September.
Speaking to the media, Netanyahu said that the coalition agreement (called by some in the Israeli media a stink bomb) is good for the stability of his government and for Israel.
His new coalition partner, who will now become Israel’s first deputy prime minister, listed four areas of agreement as the basis for this partnership. The two parties will develop a replacement for the Tal Law that used to exempt religious students from the Israeli army; they will pass a new budget; Israel’s political system will be revamped and the new coalition is said to push ahead the peace process. Continue Reading »