Prisoner Exchange Levels Hamas, Fatah Playing Field
Will the threats from Washington and the exposed impotence of the European Union push the newly revived Hamas and the somewhat deflated Fatah into serious reconciliation and the beginnings of a common Palestinian platform? Mouin Rabbani, Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor and Senior Fellow at the Institute for Palestine Studies, dissects the rapidly changing political landscape in the wake of the Israel-Hamas prisoner exchange and the run-up to the Security Council decision on the Palestine Liberation Organization’s bid at the United Nations.
Statehood Stalled: Next Steps for the Palestinian People
Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ decision to submit the application for membership to the UN Security Council rather than the General Assembly last week enabled him – and the Obama administration – to take a step back from confrontation. Al-Shabaka Director Nadia Hijab examines the several unintended consequences of the statehood bid and argues that the Palestinian people should use this time to redouble efforts to save the land of Palestine, press for accountability, demand representation, and exploit the legal approaches offered by the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice, calling for state sanctions against Israel alongside the highly successful boycott and divestment movement.
September and Beyond: Who Speaks in My Name?
As the UN vote on recognition of the state of Palestine approaches later this month, Al-Shabaka policy advisor Samah Sabawi argues in this commentary that the controversy surrounding the bid obscures the larger question of whether the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority are legitimate representatives of the Palestinian people.
Declaring an Independent Bantustan
The Palestinian Authority is attempting to achieve UN recognition of the state of Palestine in September. In this Al-Shabaka commentary, policy advisor Haidar Eid argues that it will be a state in name only, resembling the “independent homelands,” or bantustans, created by South Africa’s apartheid regime.
Unmasking “Aid” After the Palestine Papers
In the second Al-Shabaka commentary on the “Palestine Papers,” Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Samer Abdelnour examines the integral role played by the aid industry in ensuring the de-development of the Palestinian economy.
The “Palestine Papers”: An Alternative Analysis for Action
Since they were leaked in late January by Al-Jazeera, the “Palestine Papers” have sparked outrage and condemnation of the Palestinian Authority. Al-Shabaka Co-Director Nadia Hijab examines how Palestinians can ensure that their rights are achieved in spite of the concessions at the negotiating table.
Gaza: The Enduring Siege
Writing from Gaza, Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Haidar Eid challenges Israel’s claim that it has eased its siege. Eid compares Israel’s policies with those of Apartheid South Africa and argues that the anti-apartheid struggle offers valuable lessons for Palestinians on how to overcome the siege and revitalize their national movement.
Letter from Gilboa Jail
Arrested on May 6 at his home in Haifa, Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Ameer
Makhoul is due to stand trial beginning on 27 June. Writing from Gilboa
Jail, Makhoul describes how his arrest, interrogation, torture and trial
using “secret evidence” are Israel’s tools for the criminalization of
human rights defenders.
Integrating Palestine into the Progressive Left
As progressive forces in the United States prepare to convene the second U.S. Social Forum this week in Detroit, Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Noura Erakat comments on the gap between Palestinian and Arab dreams of an America committed to justice and the reality of the work it would take to achieve this dream
