Focus On: PLO and Palestinian Representation
Al-Shabaka presents a selection of pieces from its archives in which its policy analysts discuss issues related to the reform of PLO institutions and questions of legitimate political representation.
The Policies Kushner Should Push For
Senior Advisor to President Trump Jared Kushner’s latest attempt to restart the Israeli-Palestinian “peace process” will focus on “economic development” projects. Yet, as Al-Shabaka Analyst Zaha Hassan writes, such initiatives are not a substitute for real political change.
The “Apolitical” Approach to Palestine’s Water Crisis
Though Palestine’s water scarcity is often portrayed as natural due to the region’s climate, it is a man-made crisis engineered by Israel. Al-Shabaka Policy Analyst Muna Dajani examines how international donors shore up this inequality through infrastructure projects and scientific collaboration with Israel, and suggests ways Palestinians can push for just solutions to the crisis.
Gaza is Headed for a Deeper Political and Humanitarian Crisis
The Gaza Strip’s grim reality has lately worsened with the likely loss of its beleaguered ally and donor, Qatar, and a severe electricity shortage inflicted by Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Gaza-based Al-Shabaka Policy Analysts Haidar Eid and Ayah Abubasheer examine the political ramifications of these developments, as well as their grave impact on Gazans’ daily life.
Abbas’s Shortsighted Gaza Policy
Palestinian Authority (PA) leader Mahmoud Abbas’s recent efforts to increase Hamas’s isolation by cutting salaries and electricity from the Gaza Strip mirror the regional isolation of Qatar, a supporter of Hamas. Al-Shabaka Policy Analyst Tareq Baconi analyzes the impetus behind Abbas’s strategy, its pitfalls and implications, and how Palestinians can confront the PA and its policies.
Don’t Historicize the Balfour Declaration: The Past is Still the Palestinians’ Present
In the wake of the British elections, Al-Shabaka Policy Analyst 24588 examines how the newfound weakness of the Conservative Party provides Palestinians with an opportunity to use the upcoming centennial of the Balfour Declaration to address Britain’s century of ill-treatment toward the Palestinians, and offers recommendations regarding the kind of apology Palestinians should demand from the UK.
Tracking the Trends of the Palestinian Cause Since 1967
On the 50th anniversary of the 1967 War, Al-Shabaka’s Nadia Hijab and Mouin Rabbani take stock of the Palestinian cause from the eve of the war to today. They observe that the Palestinian people’s situation has almost come full circle but also note the obstacles to Israel’s attempts to snuff out Palestinian self-determination.
Beyond the Binary: Two States, One State, Failed State, No State
Though the international community has hailed the two-state solution since the early 1990s, it has become clear that Israel’s fragmentation of Palestinian people and territory over the past 50 years aims to make a sovereign Palestinian state impossible. While politicians explain this as a result of misunderstandings or missed opportunities between the two parties, the accurate explanation is that Israel does not, in fact, desire two states. This outcome would undermine its goal of conserving preferential rights for Israeli Jews in the territory under its control. Numerous progressives now argue that one state with equal rights for all is the logical alternative. While such a binational state may be just, it is highly unlikely, especially in the short to medium term.
The Palestinian Authority Security Forces: Whose Security?
As Israel’s military occupation reaches its 50th year, Al-Shabaka Program Director Alaa Tartir argues that the Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces have not protected Palestinians, but have instead contributed to the criminalization of the Palestinian struggle for freedom. Tartir analyzes the evolution and “reform” of the PA security establishment and concludes with recommendations to overhaul the PA forces.
