Published in the Daily Princetonian 

By Daoud Kuttab
Guest Columnist     As Palestinian and Israeli leaders were meeting in the Annapolis Naval Base last week for yet another attempt at peacemaking, I remembered how my journalistic career led me to cover the Madrid peace conference back in 1991. I vividly remember how then-U.S. Secretary of State James Baker ’52 had kept everyone in the dark about the location of the international meeting. Once he declared Madrid as the site, many of us Palestinians felt a sense of jubilation at the looming discussions, yet the exact nature of the Palestinian delegation was also unknown until the last minute.

    While there are some differences, some issues are still the same. Continue Reading »

By Daoud Kuttab

AMERICAN officials usually spend enormous energy highlighting the “process” in the Middle East “peace process.” Only in the last 18 months of a second term president or following a military engagement in the Middle East does the United States actually start to concern itself with “peace.”This pattern seems to be holding true for today’s US-sponsored Middle East peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland. The difference now is that, unlike the Madrid Conference after the 1991 American-led Gulf War, the current effort is coming after a perceived American defeat in Iraq.

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By Daoud Kuttab

Palestinians are facing a dilemma in regards to the upcoming Annapolis Arab-Israeli peace conference, or meeting as American officials prefers to call it. The dilemma is whether to participate in yet another process that has so far produced little tangible Continue Reading »

Deeds and not words are the key to any argument

Leslie H. Gelb fails the same test of “backing up their premise” that he sets for professors Mearsheimer & Walt. In  “Dual Loyalties,” ( NY Times September 23^rd Book Review of “The Israel lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy)  he denies the power of the ‘lobby’ by arguing the US administration has since 1967 privately expressed support for Palestinian statehood.

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A minimum strategic goal by Daoud Kuttab

In all previous attempts at negotiations with Israel, Palestinians have never made any real breakthrough. Progress has only been made on procedural or superficial issues, even if expectations were always raised unreasonably high, which in turn created exaggerated hopes for the peace process. This has been the case since the Madrid peace conference and was true of the Oslo process. Throughout, the Palestinian position was in permanent retreat and concessions were offered Israel at no cost.

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Palestine and the world a love hate relationship 

By Daoud Kuttab

 

Moments after Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas dismissed the Hamas led government and declared a state of emergency on June 15^th , he got a supportive phone call from the US Secretary of State Condoleza Rice. Within 24 hours US president George Bush and other world leaders had also called Abbas. In less than a week the 18 month crippling international economic siege on the Palestinian Authority was magically lifted. The signature of the new Palestinian finance minister Salam Fayyad who also headed the emergency Continue Reading »

Down to earth in Gaza 

By Daoud Kuttab

My professional colleague Ayman Bardawil who was born and raised in the southern Gaza strip town of Rafah has been living in Ramallah ever since he attended Bir Zeit University where he got his civil engineering degree. In the past ten years Ayman, who has worked in television and specifically in animation, has visited his parents, siblings family and friends less than the fingers of his artistic hands. His request from the Israelis to visit Gaza were often rejected ‘because there is no compelling humanitarian reason.” When Ayman’s father lay terminally sick he did get a permission to visit. A day after he returned to Ramallah after his permit expired his father died and he was unable to travel. Ayman has since moved to Jordan but now instead of his wish to visit his family, his mother is looking for ways to escape Gaza.

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Recent violence in the Palestinian territories means that the goal of a truly independent Palestinian state has became more remote than at any time since the second intifada.

Since 1967, and before, the aspirations of Palestinians to liberty and independence have repeatedly hit one snag after another. There is plenty of room to place the blame on Palestinians themselves, Arabs, and the international community. Palestinians have failed to measure accurately their own powers in comparison to the Israelis. The Arab states gave plenty of lip service to the Palestinian cause and the international community spent more on weapons to the region rather than efforts to encourage all sides to a peaceful resolution. Continue Reading »

The following article appeared in many publications as part of project syndicate. I am enclosing below its publication in the Guardian and I have added the comments made on their web site. It is interesting reading.

Civility or weakness?
Daoud Kuttab

With Gaza poised on the brink of civil war, pity poor Mahmoud Abbas, who took over as president of the Palestinian Authority two and a half years ago, after the death of Yasser Arafat. An academic by profession, Abbas has tried mightily to lead the Palestinian people with civility, adherence to democratic principles, and public disdain for violence.

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The following was written before the decision by President Abbas to dissolve the Haniyeh government and declare Emergency.

JORDAN TIMES  – Failure at the top

By Daoud Kuttab

The test of leadership is usually at times of pressure and turmoil. So far, the Palestinian leadership has been failing miserably. It is easy to put blame in other places. Certainly the continuation of occupation for 40 years is to blame. The failure of the Oslo process can’t be discounted and the unjust siege on Palestine, especially on Gaza, certainly contributed to the turmoil. Continue Reading »