Electronic Media Debate
By Daoud Kuttab The decision by the Court of Cassation to classify websites as “publications” and thus apply the Press and Publications Law to them is troubling. Unlike other laws that criminalise press violations, Jordan’s Press and Publications Law only allows civilian punishment, meaning that electronic media violators might be fined, but not jailed. But […]
Jordanian Orphanages, the Minister of Social Affairs and the Media
By Daoud Kuttab  Orphanages are notorious the world over for being a very sensitive place. Losing one or both parents is a shocking and highly emotional condition. Having the same young parentless children living away from the warmth of a natural home produces even more trauma and tends to make such children more vulnerable. […]
Karameh For Palestinians at a time of indignity
Although the Arabic word karameh simply means dignity, it has become an expression that has many more usages and meanings. Karameh is also a Jordan Valley town in the Shuna District which witnessed a fierce battle against the Israelis. The date was March 21, 1968, and the Israeli army was trying to stem attacks by […]
Jerusalem should be at the center of peace efforts
Following appeared in the Bitterlemons website A PALESTINIAN VIEW Jerusalem should be at the center of peace efforts by Daoud Kuttab The first decade of the twenty-first century has been a disastrous one for Palestinians. Negotiations efforts were dealt a dramatic blow, historic leaders and potential leaders were killed, assassinated or imprisoned and, worst of […]
When Obama took his eyes off the [Palestine] ball
By Daoud Kuttab For a few minutes on Sunday I wondered what would have happened if I was reading rather than listening to US President Barack Obama’s statement from Hawaii. The US president took time off his Christmas vacation to speak about the incident that occurred on the flight from Amsterdam to Detroit. Had I […]
The Need to Support the Fledging Television Industry in Palestine
following appeared in the January 2010 issue of this week in Palestine The Need to Support the Fledging Television Industry in Palestine By Daoud Kuttab Television production is rather new in Palestine. Until 1994 Palestinians had access to regional and international television stations. Palestine TV was born with the Oslo Accords when Palestinian negotiators extracted […]
THE ONLY HOPE LEFT
The following appeared in FOreign Policy The Only Hope Left? Why a unilaterally declared state might be the only one that Palestine can get. BY DAOUD KUTTAB | NOVEMBER 17, 2009 Mahmoud Abbas is in a bind. Faced with a seemingly insurmountable impasse to negotiations with Israel, the Palestinian Authority president can either resign from […]
Media freedoms under the new administration
By Daoud Kuttab Reforming and regulating Jordan’s media appears to be one of the priorities of the administration of Samir Rifai who is considered a friend of many Jordanian journalists, editors and publishers. As in all efforts that seek greater freedom for the press, two global issues must always be remembered. One is that press […]
Palestinian children suffer from a lack of appropriate TV programming
RAMALLAH – Television penetration in Palestine is nearly 100 percent. Almost every home-no matter how poor the family-has a tube in its sitting room. Television viewership is higher than average amongst Palestinians for two main reasons: Because of the continuing conflict, people feel the need to watch television to keep up with the events in […]
Prisoner exchange not an alternative to negotiations
Daoud Kuttab AMMAN – If the Islamic movement Hamas succeeds in obtaining the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including many with long-term sentences, it will, no doubt, complicate the delicate attempts to reach a negotiated agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. Such an accomplishment will prove that those who use violence can produce better […]