(This was published in May 20th, 2010)

By Daoud Kuttab

My eldest daughter, Tamara, who studied and worked in the US, finally got her own Israeli-issued residency ID for Jerusalem. It took her seven years to accomplish this feat despite the fact that she was born and raised in Jerusalem to parents holding Jerusalem residency. What would normally be a routine act is a major hurdle for Palestinians, especially those who reside in Jerusalem. Continue Reading »

(This was published in May 14th, 2010)

By Daoud Kuttab

As Israeli-Palestinian proximity or indirect negotiations are scheduled to begin soon, it will be a short time before we find out if this time around talks have any better chance of success than before. For sure the US is exerting strong pressure on both sides to come up with serious positions. There is no need to talk for the sake of talking, what is needed is political will. This seems to be almost totally absent. More importantly, what is the Obama Administration’s plan B in case the present phase, with a ceiling of four months, fails to produce any breakthroughs? Continue Reading »

(This was published in May 10th, 2010)

By Daoud Kuttab

RAMALLAH – Something is happening with the Middle East conflict, but it is hard to say what. A breakthrough appears to be at hand, though all the parties still seem to be clinging to their traditional positions. The Arab League gave the go-ahead to indirect Palestinian-Israeli talks, and the various Palestinian leadership forums have approved the resumption of talks. Even the usually boisterous Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat has toned down his rhetoric, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas gave an optimistic interview to Israel TV. Continue Reading »

(This was published in May 7th, 2010)

By Daoud Kuttab

If ever there was a statement that reflected the true position of Palestinian negotiators and Arab leaders, it was the one made by the Qatari prime minister, Hamad Ben Jasem Al Thani. The statement, made after the Arab follow-up committee gave the PLO the green light to resume indirect negotiations, reflects a pessimistic outlook of peace.
“We don’t trust Israel, but we find positive indications on the part of the US mediator,” said the Qatari premier, who is also his country’s foreign minister. Continue Reading »

(This was published in May 5th, 2010)

By Daoud Kuttab

The US is the only world power that can help Israelis and Palestinians achieve peace. Few dispute the unique American standing. For the US to be able to help shepherd a serious peace process, America’s trust towards the leaders of both parties in the conflict is critical. Continue Reading »

By Daoud Kuttab

Special US envoy George Mitchell has visited the area, armed with a special letter from President Barack Obama to the Palestinian president reiterating what seems to have been a US-Israel understanding that the proximity talks will take place soon.

The Palestinian side is keen this time not to waste time on talking for the sake of talking, or based on the idea of incremental negotiations. Palestinians are determined to tackle the issue of borders first and walk back from that to how to implement the establishment of the Palestinian state. In meantime the Israeli tourism ministry (in its most recent maps) has unilaterally annexed Palestine to Israel and has omitted the existence of many Palestinian communities. While the West Bank is not demarked nor mentioned as the West Bank, the general southern area is listed as Judea and in the north the area is listed as Samaria (both Biblical names). The Gaza strip, however, is demarked with the words “Azza (Gaza) strip.”
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 By Daoud Kuttab

An analysis of the most recent ABC TV interview with former US president Bill Clinton reveals a fascinating development in Washington, DC. The Obama administration has concluded who the culprit is in the Arab-Israeli conflict, and it is not the Arab side.

When asked by reporter Jack Tapper about US plans for the Middle East conflict, the former US president stated that Washington plans to “do something to deprive both sides of any excuse not to engage in serious negotiations”. Continue Reading »

There is a reason for the fact that in modern times laws are written by representatives of the people to whom these laws are applied. Governments and parliaments come and go, but laws often outlive them.

Except for dictatorships, laws are not written by the executive branch who have to enforce them or the judges that have to interpret them. Many totalitarian rulers create a symbolic legislature, made up of people’s representatives so as to be able to carry this important task. Laws are certainly not written by foreign rulers, and for sure they are not written by foreign military rulers. Well, everywhere except in the occupied Palestinian territories.
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By Daoud Kuttab

The taboo was finally broken and the genie is out of the bottle, despite some attempts to force it back. America’s military leaders have had enough and decided to speak out about the liability that a hardline Israel causes to America’s national interest.

Popular American General David Petraeus finally said the words that many have been saying behind closed doors for decades. The statement of the star-studded general puts American blind support for Israel in direct opposition to the country’s most sacred institution, the military.
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The following appeared in the Jerusalem Post under the title What Accountability
By DAOUD KUTTAB
01/04/2010
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The US is the only world power that can help Israelis and Palestinians achieve peace. Few dispute the unique American standing. For the US to be able to help shepherd a serious peace process, the trust of both parties to the conflict is critical. The absence of trust, more than settlement announcements, seems to be the real reason behind the current anger of the Obama administration toward its most important Middle East ally.
Continue Reading »