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Aug 26 2011
The extraordinary session of the Jordanian parliament was asked to stay in session in order to debate and vote on the constitutional changes that the royal commission had recommended and the king accepted. Once approved and signed by the king, the changes will be the most comprehensive changes in 90 years.
Aug 18 2011
By Daoud Kuttab
In their frantic efforts to stop the Palestinian leadership from going to the UN, Israeli officials and propagandists pose what appears to be a mistaken choice.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Palestinians to have direct talks, and even offered to meet Palestinian officials anywhere if they choose what he called direct talks instead of unilateral action. Continue Reading »
Aug 12 2011
Daoud Kuttab
Chambers of commerce in some Palestinian cities held elections, over the past few weeks, and municipal elections are planned for October. One Palestinian city that will not see any local elections just happens to be Palestine’s capital-in-waiting.
For the past 44 years, East Jerusalem has been prevented from carrying out any activity that might represent any sort of local government. Israel’s unilateral annexation of occupied East Jerusalem and the forced municipal unity with Israeli West Jerusalem has left the holy city in limbo. Palestinians rejected the annexation and the unification of the city, and boycotted the municipal elections since 1967. Continue Reading »
Aug 08 2011
By Daoud Kuttab
For the past 44 years, East Jerusalem has been prevented from carrying out any activity that might represent any sort of local government. Israel’s unilateral annexation of occupied East Jerusalem and the forced municipal unity with Israeli West Jerusalem has left the holy city in limbo. Palestinians rejected the annexation and the unification of the city, and boycotted the municipal elections since 1967. Continue Reading »
Aug 04 2011
By Daoud Kuttab
Jordan’s registered media outlets will be soon welcoming a new group: news websites. Continue Reading »
Jul 28 2011
By Daoud Kuttab
If anyone outside Palestine had doubts that the Palestinian Authority was hesitant about going to the UN to request the recognition of Palestine as a full member, a trip to Ramallah would quickly put an end to this scepticism. Ramallah’s hotels are full of members of the Palestine Central Council (the second highest representative body in Palestinian politics after the Palestine National Council). PNC Speaker Salim Zannoun has held meetings in Amman, Hebron, Nablus and Ramallah in preparation for a crucial ?entral council meeting in Ramallah this week. The leading independent daily published in Ramallah, Al Ayyam boasts a colourful map of the world with 122 flags representing world countries that have indicated that they will vote for Palestine to be a full member. Continue Reading »
Jul 21 2011
By Daoud Kuttab
The Jordanian authorities were clearly opposed to the demonstration planned for the Nakheel Park near downtown Amman. They were afraid that the demonstrators wanted a prolonged strike, similar to the one in Tahrir and Pearl squares, in Egypt and Bahrain. Pressure on the organisers was clear if one read the local papers that morning. The security branches of the government were poised to deny the demonstrators their desire and made some last-minute changes regarding the location of the demonstration in order to ensure that it will not be an extended protest. In the morning of Friday it was clear that the various security forces were pumped up and ready for a fight with the demonstrators if the latter didn’t behave according to this plan. Continue Reading »
Jul 15 2011
Daoud Kuttab
The hills of Ajloun came alive this summer with the sound of the internationally renown Christian singerLydia Shadid.
Instead of their regular conference program, music was the main focus of the annual Amman Baptist Church’s summer conference this year. Shadid, a Syrian-Lebanese singer who now lives in Texas, mesmerized the 100 strong congregants with a mix of old and new gospel songs. Accompanied by Jordan’s leading pianist, Salam Omeish, Shadid’s strong voice featured popular songs (most written by Egyptian writers), as well as songs written and composed by local Jordanian and other Middle Eastern hymn writers. Continue Reading »
Jul 14 2011
By Daoud Kuttab
What was different in this group of Palestinians was that they were holding Israeli passports. The individuals, mostly from the Naqab area, looked tired and exhausted. They had arrived the day before at about 9:00pm, but were denied entry by the Israelis. Continue Reading »
Jul 07 2011
A close read of the report shows a dysfunctional, chaotic system surrounding the prime ministry. The detailed report of the parliamentary committee exposes a haphazard institution which lacks basic checks and balances needed for the proper functioning of a government. It is not clear whether some of the problems present during the first Bakhit government continue today. Continue Reading »