| |
May 17 2012
By Daoud Kuttab
This week, two totally different cases saw real progress towards resolution due to persistence, focus on achievable results and the use of nonviolent means. Palestinian prisoners and supporters of their just and reasonable requests in Palestine, the Arab world, and the international community saw a successful resolution of their demands. Continue Reading »
Apr 28 2012
by Daoud Kuttab
A flurry of visits by Arab and Islamic officials to East Jerusalem in the past few weeks has left Palestinians wondering what is happening.
Prince Hashem visited Jerusalem followed by a joint visit of Prince Ghazi and Mufti of Egypt Ali Gomaa. The head of Jordan’s security service, Hussein Majali, was the last to visit. His visit was followed by statements from Palestinian Islamic waqf officials and the Israeli media that an important leader would be visiting soon. Continue Reading »
Apr 23 2012
this was published on bitterlemons.com
To be trusted, Mofaz should begin dismantling the occupation
by Daoud Kuttab
Israeli politicians are very good at negotiating with themselves. Shaul Mofaz is not much different. The Mofaz plan that apparently helped propel him to the top of the Kadima party suggests that Israel would cede some ten percent of the territories in the West Bank as a first step towards the eventual establishment of a Palestinian state. Continue Reading »
Apr 15 2012
Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu
State of Israel
H.E. Prime Minister Netanyahu:
In 1993, the Palestine Liberation Organization signed the Declaration of Principles (The Oslo Accords) and exchanged letters of mutual recognition with the Government of Israel.
The Declaration of Principles defined its aim as the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions 242 and 338 which would begin with a transitional period, and culminate with negotiations on the all final status issues including Jerusalem, borders, settlements, refugees, water, security, relations with neighboring countries, and other matters of mutual interest. Over the years, we included end of the conflict and claims, and the release of prisoners and detainees to these final status issues. May 1999 was set as the date by which negotiations on all final status issues would be completed and a comprehensive peace agreement between the two sides would be reached. Continue Reading »
Apr 13 2012
By Daoud Kuttab
Easter is celebrated in Jerusalem and surrounding Palestinians cities both religiously and culturally. Children wave beautifully weaved palm leaves on Palm Sunday, Boy Scout-led marches celebrate Sabt el Noor (Holy Fire), when the light comes out of the Church of the Holy Seplechure and is welcomed with marching bands in towns with Palestinian Christian populations such as Ramallah, Bethlehem Zababdeh, Abood and Nablus.
Continue Reading »
Apr 05 2012
By Daoud Kuttab
The end of Hana Shalabi’s 44-day hunger strike hasproduced mixed results, and has pointed out another under-reported issue — the separation and difficulty of movement between Gaza and West Bank.
Shalabi, like Khader Adnan before her, have done a great service to fellow Palestinians by exposing the undemocratic nature of administrative detention. It might be some time before it can be seen whether their struggle will reduce or totally end this kind of detention. Continue Reading »
Mar 27 2012
the following appeared in the Jordan times
by Daoud Kuttab | Feb 16,2012 | 23:22
After months of hibernation, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict seems to be getting more attention of late. Despite the volatility of the situation in Syria and Egypt the most recent agreement reached in the Qatari capital received a lot of media attention. It also seems to have touched a number of political nerves, especially within the Hamas movement in Gaza.
While the agreement in Doha was not the first public display of reconciliation between leaders of the largest Palestinian factions, many felt that this time, the agreement was for real. Why?
Continue Reading »
Mar 27 2012
following article ran in the Jordan Times
by Daoud Kuttab | Mar 21,2012 | 22:37
Hana Shalabi has been on hunger strike for over a month. Her condition has been deteriorating so badly that prison officials had to transfer her to a Haifa hospital.
Shalabi is protesting being held in administrative detention. This is a quasi-legal action through which Israel incarcerates individuals without charge or proper trial. Israel inherited this undemocratic procedure from the British mandate, which enacted it as part of the 1945 emergency regulations.
International humanitarian law considers this procedure illegal and Israel was asked by the international community on numerous occasions to end this practice. Continue Reading »
Mar 27 2012
By Daoud Kuttab
The invitation by the Palestinian president to Arabs and Moslems to visit Jerusalem is long overdue. But it is better late than never. Jerusalem’s 300,000 Palestinians badly needed this invitation which comes at a time that their natural hinterland (the rest of the West Bank) has been cut of from them.
For years Arabs and Moslems have shied away from visiting Jerusalem and other Palestinian lands for a variety of reasons. Most have no opportunity to go even if they wanted to. With the exception of Egypt and Jordan (the latter only since 1994) no other Arab country has diplomatic relations with Israel. Non Arab states with substantial Moslem populations can come and some have in the past decades mostly through one off tourism junkets. I have seen Moslems, from Indonesia, Sirlanka, India, South Africa and Bangladesh among others crossing into Palestine through the King Hussein Bridge. Continue Reading »
Mar 02 2012
By Daoud Kuttab
The invitation by the Palestinian president to Arabs and Muslims to visit Jerusalem is long overdue. But it is better late than never.
Jerusalem’s 300,000 Palestinians badly needed this visit, which comes at a time that their natural hinterland (the rest of the West Bank) has been cut off from them.
For years Arabs and Muslims have shied away from visiting Jerusalem and other Palestinian lands for a variety of reasons. Most have no opportunity to go even if they want to. With the exception of Egypt andJordan (the latter only since 1994) no other Arab country has diplomatic relations with Israel. Continue Reading »