- April 28, 2024
15 Years of Failed Experiments: Myths and Facts about the Israeli Siege on Gaza
Inevitably, Israel’s political experiment in Gaza has backfired, and the only way out is for the Gaza siege to be completely lifted and, this time, for good.
The Untold Story of Why Palestinians Are Divided
In post-Abbas Palestine, Palestinians must reflect on this tragic history and, instead of aiming for easy fixes, concentrate on finding common ground beyond parties, factions, clans and privilege.
One Man as a Whole Generation: The Unfinished War of Zakaria Zubeidi
Zakaria Zubeidi is not just a single person but a whole generation of Palestinians in the West Bank who are caught up in an impossible dilemma, having to choose between a painful, but real, struggle for freedom and political compromises, which, in Zakaria’s own words, ‘have achieved nothing’.
Palestine’s Moment of Reckoning: On Abbas’ Dangerous Decision to ‘Postpone’ Elections
The decision on April 30 by Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas, to ‘postpone’ Palestinian elections, which would have been the first in 15 years, will deepen Palestinian division and could, potentially, signal the collapse of the Fatah Movement, at least in its current form. Unlike the last Palestinian parliamentary elections in 2006, the big story, […]
From His Solitary Confinement, Marwan Barghouti Holds the Key to Fatah’s Future
As it stands, the key to the future of Fatah is now held by a Palestinian prisoner, Marwan Barghouti, who has been kept by Israel, largely in solitary confinement, since 2002.
Elections under Fire: Palestine’s Impossible Democracy Dilemma
Palestine, like other Middle Eastern countries, including Israel, does have a crisis of political legitimacy. Since Palestine is an occupied land with little or no freedom, one is justified to argue that true democracy under these horrific conditions cannot possibly be achieved.
The Russian Alternative: How Moscow is Capitalizing on US Retreat in Palestine, Israel
The US now has no other option but to slowly retreat from its previous commitments to the peace process: in fact, the region as a whole. As is often the case, any American retreat means a potential opening for Russia, which is now laying claim to the role of peace broker, a seismic change that many Palestinians are already welcoming.
In Lieu of a Liberation Strategy: Palestinian Elections are Designed to Buy Time
Even successful elections within the Oslo framework would further divert Palestinian energies from their liberation project in favor of another political dead end, that will only protect the ‘gains’ of Palestine’s ruling elites, while selling more false hope that the coveted peace is still at hand to ordinary Palestinians.
Why Palestinian-Israeli Prisoners Exchange Deal Could Happen Soon?
Now that his illegal annexation of West Bank land scheme has been postponed, Netanyahu is in desperate need of another battle that would present him as some kind of hero in the eyes of Israelis, especially his right-wing constituency.
The Infallible Warrior: Honest Reflections on the Legacy of Yasser Arafat 15 Years after his Death
By Ramzy Baroud 15 years after the passing of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian people continue to reflect on his legacy. Thousands of images of “Abu Ammar” have been shared across numerous social media platforms remembering a man whose nom de guerre has been affiliated with the Palestinian struggle for decades. Arafat’s legacy, however, […]
The Two Narratives of Palestine: The People Are United, the Factions Are Not
By Ramzy Baroud The International Conference on Palestine held in Istanbul between April 27-29 brought together many speakers and hundreds of academics, journalists, activists and students from Turkey and all over the world. The Conference was a rare opportunity aimed at articulating a discourse of international solidarity that is both inclusive and forward thinking. There was a […]
Uniting Fatah, Not Palestinians: The Dubious Role of Mohammed Shtayyeh
By Ramzy Baroud Political commentators sympathetic to the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Fatah Movement, in particular, fanned out as soon as the news was announced of Mohammad Shtayyeh’s appointment as the new Palestinian Prime Minister. It is no surprise to witness this gush of support and enthusiasm, for Shtayyeh is a Fatah man, par excellence. […]
Russian Mediation: The Critical Messages of the Hamas-Fatah Talks in Moscow
By Ramzy Baroud The Russian-sponsored Palestinian unity talks in Moscow on February 11 were neither a success nor failure. Uniting Palestinian factions was not the primary objective of the Moscow conference, in the first place. Instead, the nature of the event, the host country and the explicit messages sent to Washington and Tel Aviv were […]
As Abbas Ages, Fatah Moves to Consolidate Power
By Ramzy Baroud Five years after spearheading what is inaptly referred to as a ‘government of national reconciliation’, Palestinian Prime Minister, Rami Hamdallah, has finally resigned. “We put our government at the disposal of President Mahmoud Abbas, and we welcome the recommendations of the Fatah Central Committee to form a new government,” Hamdallah tweeted, shortly […]
False ‘Victories’: Is the PA Using the ‘State of Palestine’ to Remain in Power?
By Ramzy Baroud The ‘State of Palestine’ has officially been handed the Chairmanship of the G-77, the United Nations largest block. This is particularly significant considering the relentless Israeli-American plotting to torpedo Palestinian push for greater international recognition and legitimacy. It is now conclusive that the main mission for former United States Ambassador to the […]
What Lies Beneath: The US-Israeli Plot to ‘Save’ Gaza
By Ramzy Baroud Israel wants to change the rules of the game entirely. With unconditional support from the Trump Administration, Tel Aviv sees a golden opportunity to redefine what has, for decades, constituted the legal and political foundation for the so-called ‘Palestinian-Israeli conflict.’ While US President Donald Trump’s foreign policy has, thus far, been erratic […]
Eclipsing Factionalism: The Missing Story from the Gaza Protests
By Ramzy Baroud The Gaza border protests must be understood in the context of the Israeli Occupation, the siege and the long-delayed ‘Right of Return’ for Palestinian refugees. However, they should also be appreciated in a parallel context: Palestine’s own factionalism and infighting. Factionalism in Palestinian society is a deep-rooted ailment that has, for decades, […]
Is This the Beginning of the End of Palestinian Reconciliation?
By Ramzy Baroud While on his way to the besieged Gaza Strip last week, two 33-pound bombs targeted the convoy of Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah. Hamdallah was visiting Gaza, through the Israeli border checkpoint Erez, to open a large sewage treatment plant that, if allowed to operate regularly, will make life easier for […]
Hold Your Applause, Fatah, the Palestinian Body Politic is Rotten to the Core
By Ramzy Baroud In July 2003, the then Palestinian Authority Chairman, Yasser Arafat, described Mahmoud Abbas as a “traitor” who “betrayed the interests of the Palestinian People.” Arafat loathed Abbas to the very end. This particular outburst was made during a meeting with United Nations envoy Terje Larsen. The meeting took place a few months after […]
