Abbas and the Farce of Palestinian Democracy

What’s behind Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ recent dissolution of the Palestinian Legislative Council? Al-Shabaka Palestine Policy Fellow 24588 analyzes the move, uncovering likely motives and consequences in light of Abbas’ broader grip on power, and proposes ways to increase Palestinian democratic space.

Australia and Palestine-Israel: The Threat of the Far Right

Australia recently voted against the UN resolution elevating Palestine’s status in the body and is considering moving its embassy to Jerusalem. While these acts may cause little surprise as the country’s policy has always leaned pro-Israel, Al-Shabaka Policy Analyst 24517 examines how Australia’s ruling party has moved further to the right and recommends ways to impede this trajectory.

Kushner’s Ongoing Assault on Palestinian Refugees

The US administration is waging an assault against Palestinian refugees. Al-Shabaka US Policy Fellow 24598 analyzes US cuts to UNRWA and Congressional bills that aim to reconstitute the state of Palestinian refugees to squelch Palestinian claims to sovereignty and repatriation, and suggests strategies that pro-Palestinian constituents and civil society can use to counter these acts.

The EU Must Fight the US Embassy Move to Jerusalem

مقال - على الاتحاد الأوروبي أن يعارض نقل السفارة الأمريكية إلى القدس

In the face of the US embassy move, Al-Shabaka Policy Fellow 24588 argues that the European Union remains one of the few spaces left to pursue Palestinian rights in the international arena. She proposes immediate steps the EU can take to uphold its commitments to Palestinians, including boycotting diplomatic meetings and functions at the new US embassy.

Palestine Sets Precedent with Legal Complaint

Palestine recently submitted a complaint with the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination involving Israeli violations of the rights of the Palestinian people. Al-Shabaka Policy Analyst Zaha Hassan outlines why the complaint’s findings could build the factual and legal basis for prosecutions in international courts against Israeli officials as well as the state of Israel itself.

Abbas’s Craven Response to the US UNRWA Cuts

The US administration’s $65 million cut to UNRWA has placed the agency in jeopardy, prompting an international conference in Rome this week to help it meet its financial needs. Al-Shabaka Policy Analyst Randa Farah analyzes Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s response to the US move, and calls for Palestinian grassroots action in the face of the crisis.

Israel’s Latest Attempts to Alter Geopolitical Realities in Jerusalem

Emboldened by the election of US President Donald Trump, Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu government has introduced bills aimed at annexing the West Bank, particularly around Jerusalem. Al-Shabaka US Policy Fellow 24598 examines the latest of these bills, analyzes their implications, and recommends ways Palestinians and the international community can impede Israel and hold it to account.

Pitfalls of the Fatah-Hamas Reconciliation

المقال - مطبات المصالحة بين فتح وحماس

The Fatah-Hamas reconciliation may sound like a breakthrough, but many questions remain. If the reconciliation is done in an incomplete way, its longer-term effects may be more devastating to Palestinians than what they experience today. Al-Shabaka Analyst Khalil Shaheen explains.

China’s New Plan for Israel-Palestine

المقال - مطبات المصالحة بين فتح وحماس

China recently proposed a new four-point plan to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Is this a major departure along a new track that challenges US hegemony and European passivity? Or is China simply pursuing its own economic interests in the guise of peacemaker? Al-Shabaka policy analyst Zaid Shuaibi weighs in.