Whose “Ethnic Cleansing?”: Israel’s Appropriation of the Palestinian Narrative
Benjamin Netanyahu recently claimed that the Palestinian demand to dismantle illegal Israeli settlements constitutes “ethnic cleansing” against settlers. Al-Shabaka Policy Analyst 24403 argues that such rhetoric is part of an Israeli strategy of appropriating a narrative of victimhood to garner public support, and recommends ways Palestinians can counter this tactic to further their quest for rights.
Focus On: Palestinian-Israeli Security Coordination
The Palestine Liberation Organization’s top leadership body, the Central Council, called for a halt to Palestinian security coordination with Israel in 2015. Yet PLO Chair Mahmoud Abbas has described it as sacred despite the breakdown of the peace process to end Israel’s 50-year military occupation and colonization of Palestinian territory. The killing by Israeli forces of activist and youth leader Basil Al-Araj, whom the Palestinian Authority had previously imprisoned – raising accusations that his jailing was part of its so-called revolving door policy – has refocused public attention on the issue. In the selection of pieces below, Al-Shabaka policy analysts discuss the origins and pillars of Israeli-PA security coordination as well as its consequences for the Palestinian people, who experience it as an additional layer of oppression to the multiple violations of their rights under occupation, within Israel, and in exile.
How Israel Uses Gas to Enforce Palestinian Dependency and Promote Normalization
The Israeli occupation does not only exist above ground. Al-Shabaka Policy Fellow Tareq Baconi examines how Israel enjoys a gas bonanza while barring the Gaza Strip from tapping its own fields. He argues that Palestinian dependency on Israeli energy amidst US calls for “economic peace” undermines Palestinian rights, and suggests ways to challenge this status quo.
Amending the Charter: What’s in It for Hamas?
Al-Shabaka is pleased to share this policy memo by policy analyst Belal Shobaki, which details current considerations Hamas may be taking into account given news of the party’s likely decision to amend its charter.
Do Not Let Go of the Green Line: It Is Israel’s Achilles Heel
As Israeli right-wing leaders push to illegally annex occupied Palestinian territory, Al-Shabaka Executive Director Nadia Hijab argues that the Green Line is a powerful tool to hold Israel accountable for its multiple violations of Palestinian human rights. For Europe especially the Israeli moves threaten the global order in a way that goes far beyond Palestine.
Palestinians and the Syrian War: Between Neutrality and Dissent
The Palestinians of Syria are forced to maintain political neutrality or support the regime, given their vulnerable position. Al-Shabaka Policy Analyst 24556 unpacks the roots of this predicament, identifies avenues that suggest how to move beyond it, and recommends tactics for Palestinians in Syria and elsewhere to better advocate for human rights and self-determination.
Palestinian Democracy Denied
The failure to conduct local elections in the occupied territories and the Fatah conference, which largely reaffirmed a moribund status quo, are the latest examples of stymied Palestinian democracy. Al-Shabaka analysts examine the notion of democracy under military occupation, the factors constraining it, and the form that makes sense for the Palestinian people.
Palestine After Abbas: Potential Scenarios and Coping Strategies
With the election of Donald Trump, Israel believes it is free to do what it likes in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, making a difficult Palestinian leadership transition much harder. Al-Shabaka policy analysts examine different scenarios and propose alternatives ranging from consolidating the state to a struggle for the rights of the Palestinian people as a whole.
One Hundred Years and Counting: Britain, Balfour, and the Cultural Repression of Palestinians
The government and corporations of the United Kingdom have recently intensified efforts to censor Palestinian creative expression. Al-Shabaka Policy Member Aimee Shalan traces the roots of these attacks on Palestinian history and culture to the 1917 Balfour Declaration and offers recommendations for how civil society can bring the UK to change its approach.
