Palestine at the UN: An Alternative Strategy
As Israeli-Palestinian negotiations lurch from crisis to crisis, Palestinian Authority (PA) leaders have been suggesting they may go to the United Nations to seek resolutions confirming the illegality of Israel’s settlements in the occupied territories and recognizing a reality of Palestinian statehood.
The Oslo Virus and the Struggle for Bantustans
In 'The Music of the Violin,' a short story by South African writer Njabulo Ndebele, one of the characters comments on the 'concessions' made by the apartheid regime to the indigenous people: "That's how it is planned. That we be given a little of everything, and so prize the little we have that we forget about freedom."
Tough Questions for Hamas
Hamas's victory in the 2006 Palestinian Legislative Council elections surprised everyone, including its own members and leaders. Many local and international activists were also relieved, as the victory was a blow to the Bush doctrine in the Middle East. It was also a test of the credibility of the liberal democratic approach and its applications in the region.
Above the Law: Israeli Settlements & the End of the Two-State Solution
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision not to renew the settlement "freeze" has left the Obama administration scrambling to save the negotiations from collapse. For the second time in two years, direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians are at risk due to Israeli actions.
A Post-Negotiations Future for the Middle East
When we were kids, we went to my uncle's Jordan Valley farm in the Palestinian West Bank to hunt for Easter eggs. The event was organized by his Christian wife and the whole family was happy to celebrate because it was so much fun. As we peered through the bushes and looked under the stones of this most fertile of West Bank land, the adults made sure that each child found at least one brightly decorated egg. Israel's occupation in 1967 put an end to those family visits during my father's vacations from the American University of Beirut.
Contradiction in Washington Prevents Peace in the Middle East
Israel's ten-month "freeze" on settlement building, declared under pressure from the Obama administration last November, is set to expire this month. James Cunningham, the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, reportedly warned European envoys that direct talks between Israelis and Palestinians were on the verge of collapse over the settlement freeze. While attention has focused on whether the freeze will continue, few have asked if it was ever truly in force.
