Tag: palestinians

A Line in the Sand

Mahmoud Abbas is fed up. Last week he withdrew his candidacy for the coming presidential election in the Palestinian Authority. I understand him. He feels betrayed. And the traitor is Barack Obama. A year ago, when Obama was elected, he aroused high hopes in the Muslim world, among the Palestinian people as well as in … Continue reading “A Line in the Sand”

Demolitions Continue in East Jerusalem

OCCUPIED EAST JERUSALEM – "Make sure your father gets this," the municipal inspector tells a 10-year-old boy at the gate of the concrete house in an alleyway in the al-Bustan quarter of Silwan, a Palestinian neighborhood right under the shadow of the walled Old City. "This" is a court-approved demolition notice, "No. 59." It’s for … Continue reading “Demolitions Continue in East Jerusalem”

Knocking Our Heads Against a Wall in Palestine

In the face of an outraged Arab world, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton backed off on her congratulation of Israel for merely pledging to limit settlement construction in the occupied West Bank. Previously, President Barack Obama, originally appearing to be much more friendly to the Palestinian and Arab causes than George W. Bush, told Israel, … Continue reading “Knocking Our Heads Against a Wall in Palestine”

Remembering Yitzhak Rabin

A year before the Oslo agreement, I had a meeting with Yasser Arafat in Tunis. He was full of curiosity about Yitzhak Rabin, who had just been elected prime minister. I described him as well as I could and ended with the words: "He is as honest as a politician can be." Arafat broke into … Continue reading “Remembering Yitzhak Rabin”

Israelis Targeting Grassroots Activists

EAST JERUSALEM – Israeli authorities are increasingly targeting and intimidating nonviolent Palestinian grassroots activists involved in anti-occupation activities who are drawing increased support from the international community. Several weeks ago masked Israeli soldiers stormed the home of Ehab Jallad from the Jerusalem Popular Committee for the Celebration of Jerusalem as the Capital of Arab Culture … Continue reading “Israelis Targeting Grassroots Activists”

Security Council Urged to Take Up Gaza War

Pressure has been building on the UN Security Council to address the impact of the Gaza war on civilians in advance of its meeting Wednesday to discuss the Middle East. "The Security Council has a historic opportunity to uphold the principle of civilian protection and promote regional peace," said Steve Crawshaw, UN advocacy director at … Continue reading “Security Council Urged to Take Up Gaza War”

Rift Developing Between PA and Fatah

RAMALLAH – An increasingly isolated and unpopular Palestinian Authority (PA) has again made a 180-degree turn in the Goldstone report fiasco as it tries to fend off mounting criticism from all and sundry, including its own organization. On Sunday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas did a complete about-face over UN-appointed Justice Richard Goldstone’s controversial report on … Continue reading “Rift Developing Between PA and Fatah”

Muslims See Victory at al-Aqsa

EAST JERUSALEM – Clashes between Israeli security forces and protesting Palestinians have subsided as several hundred Muslims agreed to evacuate Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque following a deal brokered by the Jordanian embassy in Tel Aviv Saturday. But the Islamic Movement, whose members sought to take over the mosque, is at the center of intense controversy. In … Continue reading “Muslims See Victory at al-Aqsa”

Cold War’s Ghost Blocks Mideast Peace

And you thought “don’t ask, don’t tell” was a U.S. law on gays in the military that Barack Obama has promised to change. As it turns out, the same phrase plays quite a different role in the Middle East, where Obama seems to have no intention of changing it at all. Successive administrations have adhered … Continue reading “Cold War’s Ghost Blocks Mideast Peace”

Palestinian Voices of Gloom Get Louder

ABU DIS, Occupied West Bank – Three Israeli soldiers, automatic rifles slung across their shoulders, are questioning a group of Palestinian builders. The top floors being added to the concrete house that lies right alongside Israel’s security wall, which divides off occupied East Jerusalem from Palestinian territory on the eastern side, have evidently aroused some … Continue reading “Palestinian Voices of Gloom Get Louder”