(This was published in September 30^th, 2010)

By Daoud Kuttab

A US State Department spokesman told reporters this week that Washington was disappointed with Israel because of its failure to extend the settlement moratorium for as long as the peace talks were moving.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon used the same words to describe how the United Nations feels towards Israel. French President Nicolas Sarkozy, meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Paris, expressed the same sentiment vis-a-vis Israel’s decisions. Continue Reading »

(This was published in September 23rd, 2010)

By Daoud Kuttab

Just when one thought that the direct peace talks might be able to produce a breakthrough, one got an awakening jolt.

Crossing the bridge over the Jordan River must be the world’s worst gift that keeps giving. This gift has been giving grief, anger, frustration and an overall realisation of what the occupation is all about. Continue Reading »

(This was published in September 13th, 2010)

By Daoud Kuttab

The Associated Press takes pride in being the leading international news agency. The short headlines that appear on Yahoo home page are almost exclusively reserved to AP stories. But even the great AP makes mistakes. Sometimes its errors are not factual but a descriptive. The consequences are just as bad. Continue Reading »

(This was published in September 7th, 2010)

By Daoud Kuttab

A Palestinian state is coming — it’s just not clear whether it will result from the current peace talks.

It is easy to be pessimistic, or even apathetic, about the latest round of Palestinian-Israeli peace talks. History is a witness to the lack of Palestinian accomplishments in incremental negotiations. All successful efforts to date have stemmed from secret talks made public only once a package agreement was reached. Continue Reading »

(This was published in September 1st, 2010)

By Daoud Kuttab

There is a chance that the Israeli occupation that began in 1967 will soon end and an independent Palestinian state will emerge. The direct peace talks taking place in Washington is a necessary step towards that goal, but it is not the only option that Palestinians have.

Despite all the Palestinian opposition to the direct Palestinian-Israeli meet (with the settlement freeze about to expire) there is hope in many quarters. Before leaving to Washington Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas said publicly that he would have gone to the peace talks even if the chances of success were no more than one percent. Continue Reading »