Al Jazeera has got its hands on what it’s calling the “Palestine Papers”, a series of documents leaked to it. Both Al Jazeera and the Guardian, which was also given access to the documents, don’t reveal where they go the information from; similar to Wikileaks, the documents seek to shed light on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Needless to say, given where they’re coming from, and who they were leaked to, it [...]
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2011/01/24/the-palestine-papers/
Roger Cohen has written an insightful op-ed in the International Herald Tribune; while often Cohen seems to fail to recognise and balance both sides’ demands and qualms equally, I think he’s hit the nail on the head this time. The institution-building currently being undertaken by Fatah in the West Bank, led primarily by Prime Minister Salam Fayad, is crucial to the future establishment of a Palestinian state. That, along with [...]
Related reading:Tags: Bibi Netanyahu, Ehud Barak, Fatah, Gaza, Hamas, Israel, Mahmoud Abbas, Middle East Conflict, Palestinians, Peace Process, Salam Fayyad, Tzipi Livni, USA, Yasser Arafat Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2010/10/22/a-few-ways-to-keep-talks-together-and-how-peace-can-be-achieved/
A very long article appeared on the front page of the New York Times a week ago about the situation in Gaza. I thought it worth dissecting a number of choice quotes from it for those wanting just the spark notes. For one, a ‘lack’ of food doesn’t seem to be the primary issue: Goods are brought over the border or smuggled through the tunnels with Egypt. That is not [...]
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2010/07/21/the-plight-of-the-divided-palestinians/
The New York Times reports the naming of a Ramallah street after infamous bomb maker Yahya Ayyash and is critical that “the Israelis and Palestinians live in sealed narrative bubbles and seem almost incapable of hearing one another.” The dispute started last week when an Israeli television crew came through. As it passed the office of Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and the construction site of the new presidential compound, it [...]
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2010/04/15/conflict-over-street-naming-shows-the-long-path-to-peace-still-to-travel/
AP reports: Officials say Gaza’s only power plant has stopped operating because of a lack of fuel caused by the ongoing dispute between Palestinian political rivals. I have no doubt that somewhere, someone is blaming Israel for this. Note to the Palestinian leadership: if you can’t get your house in order it’s difficult to enter serious negotiations with the Israelis. Please, please, please start behaving like the legitimate government you [...]
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2010/04/10/fatah-and-hamas-turn-off-the-lights/
Looks like everyone’s getting in on the Israel/Likud bashing after Bibi announced a plan, just before American VP Joe Biden’s visit, that Israel will build another 1600 homes in east Jerusalem. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has sharply rebuked Israel over its recent decision to build new settlements in East Jerusalem … The BBC’s Washington correspondent, Kim Ghattas, says it was a rare and sharp rebuke from Washington. It’s [...]
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2010/03/13/its-not-all-about-settlements-but-it-kinda-is/
This has to go in the “only in the Palestinian Territories” file. According to a Jerusalem Media and Communications Centre poll, the Palestinian people don’t seem to trust any of their leaders all that much. Leading from the front is Ismail Haniyeh from Hamas in Gaza, followed by Chairman Abbas of Fatah. The biggest concerns, though, are that 31 per cent don’t trust anyone (imagine if that happened in Australia!) [...]
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2009/10/19/the-palestinians-dont-trust-anyone/
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