Ferry Biedermann

RAMALLAH – Just one moment in that jostling crowd under undisciplined Palestinian security forces at the funeral of Yasser Arafat was enough to pick up on huge problems for resumption of a peace process in the Middle East. The faithful of Arafat’s Fatah movement were chanting slogans that they will stick to the supposedly moderate … Continue reading “Arafat’s Death May Change Very Little”

RAMALLAH – For almost four decades, Yasser Arafat was Mr. Palestine to many in this fractured homeland. Yasser Arafat represented the Palestinian people, wherever they are, as the head of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), which was accepted by the Arab League as "the sole legal representative of the Palestinian people." He had an iron … Continue reading “Just What Mr. Palestine Ruled Over”

RAMALLAH – The remarks by Yasser Arafat’s wife Suha must have rattled the Palestinian leadership and some in the media back in Ramallah. She said some temporary leaders are conspiring to bury her husband alive. She added that he was fine and would return. The fear of Yasser Arafat’s return informs the behavior of many … Continue reading “Reporting Arafat Becomes Another Crisis”

RAMALLAH – The Palestinian leadership in Ramallah is struggling to organize itself in the absence of veteran leader Yasser Arafat. His duties have been divided between Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia and former prime minister Mahmoud Abbas. But the old leader may throw a wrench into a smooth succession by having named a chosen successor at … Continue reading “Palestinians Struggle to Find Leadership”

RAMALLAH – Ramallah moves to the slow and heavy rhythm of any Muslim town in the Middle East during the fasting month of Ramadan. The only sign of anything amiss with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is the permanent vigil that the world press holds outside his ruined headquarters, the Muqata, where he was effectively kept … Continue reading “There Is Life After Arafat”

JERUSALEM – Most reactions in the Middle East to the reelection of U.S. President George W. Bush have ranged from the caustic to the cautious. Rejoicing has been rare. Only Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Iraq’s U.S. appointed interim prime minister Iyad Allawi wholeheartedly welcomed the election of their firm ally in the White … Continue reading “More of the Same Is Bad News in Middle East”

JERUSALEM – A historic vote in Israel‘s parliament to withdraw from Gaza has been overshadowed by serious concern over the health of the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat. Just days after the Israeli press unanimously described the highly contested vote in parliament in favor of a withdrawal from Gaza as "historic," the event has been eclipsed … Continue reading “‘What After Arafat?’”

JERUSALEM – Child abuse in Israel has gone up five-fold compared to the time before the Intifada, a new report says. Israeli society is paying a heavy price for the flare-up in the conflict with the Palestinians over the last four years, it emerged from the annual report of the country’s Association for the Protection … Continue reading “Child Abuse ‘Rises with Intifada’”

JERUSALEM – Israel has been gripped by disengagement fever since the opening of the winter session of Parliament, the Knesset, last week. In a few days lawmakers will have to vote on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s proposal to withdraw the army from the Gaza Strip and dismantle all settlements there, as well as four in … Continue reading “Disengagement Turns Israeli Politics Upside Down”

NORTHERN GAZA STRIP – The rapidly mounting civilian death toll as a result of Israel’s massive offensive in the north of the Gaza Strip is deepening hatred and may lead to continuing cycles of bloodshed, Palestinian politicians and human rights activists in Gaza say. The number of fatalities has crossed 80 over eight days of … Continue reading “Gaza Offensive Deepening Hatred”