Topic: Palestinian National Authority

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Who is Hamas? 5 questions about the Palestinian militant group.

The Palestinian militant group Hamas has agreed to form a unity government led by Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority and head of rival Palestinian faction Fatah. But who is Hamas? What is their relationship with Fatah, and what might Hamas gain from reconciling with them? Here are five key questions about Hamas.
Palestinian UNESCO membership: What it means for 4 key players

UNESCO members overwhelmingly approved Palestinian membership in a 107-14 vote on Monday, although there were 52 abstentions. What are the ramifications for the parties involved?
What are the Israeli-Palestinian peace talk preconditions?

Peace talk preconditions are proving to be a problem for resuming negotiations. What are the two parties’ requirements for getting talks started?
Palestinian statehood: why Arabs have turned on Obama

President Obama, who made Israeli-Palestinian peace a priority from the outset of his administration, is now the US leader with incongruously bad relations with the Arab world. Here are three key causes of the deterioration in ties – and three steps that the can be taken to mend US relations with Arabs and Muslims.
Obama's speech: Five ways Netanyahu can respond

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under pressure to make a decisive move. Here are five options.

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Palestinians mark Nakba Day with slingshots, despite calls for calm

Nakba Day, translated to 'catastrophe day,' marks the day the state of Israel was created and hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were displaced.
Broad coalition in Israel shows Netanyahu's centrist colors

By bringing the centrist Kadima party into his coalition, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can address some of the more fundamental problems Israel faces – including the moribund peace process with Palestinians – without a veto threat from the far right parties.
Will Netanyahu stay obsessed with Iran or use his new coalition to help Israel?

Benjamin Netanyahu’s strategy has been dangerously transfixed on Iran, neglecting the myriad other issues threatening Israel and Middle East stability. The new coalition government sets up a rare opportunity to reshape Israel’s domestic institutions and strengthen its regional standing.
Hunger intifada? Palestinian prisoners wield new-old tool against Israel.

As many as half of the Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails have followed the example of Khader Adnan, whose 66-day hunger strike became something of a cause célèbre earlier this year.
Backchannels
Out of ideas, Palestinian Authority censors critics

The Palestinian Authority of Mahmoud Abbas is growing increasingly intolerant of criticism. Last week the PA blocked eight websites tied to an Abbas rival.
Is the Palestinian Authority really a 'fig leaf' for Israeli occupation?

That's the charge of Yossi Beilin, Israeli architect of the Oslo accords. In an interview with the Monitor, he defends his recent call for the PA to be dissolved – 19 years after he helped set it up.
Backchannels
Israel legalizes three more West Bank settlement outposts

The decision, which is part of a broader settlement expansion, could pave the way for similar legalizations. Prospects for meaningful peace talks just grew dimmer.
Torture victim's family can't sue PLO for damages, Supreme Court says

US Supreme Court, in a narrow reading of a federal anti-torture law, ruled Wednesday against a son who sought redress from the PLO and Palestinian Authority for the death of his father, a US citizen, during a visit to the West Bank.
No explanation given: Palestinian PM skips Netanyahu meeting

Looking ahead, Palestinian leaders face few appealing options for advancing their agenda, which has been sidelined by Iran and the US elections.
Restart of talks uncertain as Palestinian prime minister skips Israeli meeting

Salam Fayyad did not attend a scheduled meeting Tuesday with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Other senior Palestinian officials delivered a letter to Netanyahu with a list of demands before talks can resume.
With West focused on Iran, Netanyahu moves to expand Israeli settlements

Last week, the prime minister allowed police to evict settlers from an Arab house in Hebron. But he also asked his government to authorize three illegal outposts in the West Bank.
Real triumph of Arab League summit: That it happened at all

The Arab League took little action to address Syria crisis, deferring to UN. But the summit, held in a renovated marble palace with gold-encrusted dates for dessert, still marked a triumph for host Iraq.
AIPAC concerns aside, Israelis say Iran is a waning hegemon

Israeli leaders see Iran in danger of losing its dominance in the region as Syria, the linchpin of Tehran's regional alliance, falters. But a nuclear weapon could help it regain lost ground.
Can foreigners sue international corporations in US courts?

A 223-year-old law says foreigners can file lawsuits in American courts for alleged violations of international law. But whether they can sue corporations remains a question for the Supreme Court.
The cool new Palestinians: geeks

The West Bank and Gaza Strip is home to hundreds of tech companies, creating everything from websites to smart phone apps.
Who is Hamas? 5 questions about the Palestinian militant group.

The Palestinian militant group Hamas has agreed to form a unity government led by Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority and head of rival Palestinian faction Fatah. But who is Hamas? What is their relationship with Fatah, and what might Hamas gain from reconciling with them? Here are five key questions about Hamas.
Religious trash talk goes mainstream in Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Religious fundamentalists are gaining greater influence on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, complicating peace efforts.
Congress makes Elmo cry by defunding Palestinian 'Sesame Street'

In protest of the Palestinian statehood bid at the UN, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen froze $192 million in funding for USAID programs, including a Palestinian version of 'Sesame Street.' The move has not only jeopardized the show, but US Mideast policy.
Buoyed by 'Islamic Spring,' Hamas considers new direction

Hamas' political chief Khaled Meshal is stepping down as the militant Palestinian group faces a regional moment of change.
The man Israel didn't release from prison: Marwan Barghouti

Palestinians originally hoped that Marwan Barghouti, compared by some to former South African prisoner-turned-president Nelson Mandela, would be included in a prisoner swap finalized today.
Israeli lawmakers move to annex West Bank, one museum at a time

Israel's parliament appears likely to pass a law funding Israeli museums in the West Bank – the latest settler effort to promote a creeping annexation of the disputed territory.
Terrorism & Security
Israel-Gaza violence: Testing the Arab world's appetite for fresh conflict?

Israel-Gaza violence has flared up again, with Israel killing two militants suspected of plotting attacks along the Israel-Egypt border.
Backchannels
After UNESCO Palestine vote, could US defund nuclear watchdog IAEA, too?

The US withdrew funding after UNESCO's Palestine vote yesterday. There's no reason that Palestinians won't be able to muster the votes for recognition in other UN agencies like the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Backchannels
Israel, Palestinians, and UNESCO culture wars

UNESCO, a cultural heritage group at the United Nations, today gave Palestinians membership. Why is Israel angry about this symbolic step?
Palestinian UNESCO membership: What it means for 4 key players

UNESCO members overwhelmingly approved Palestinian membership in a 107-14 vote on Monday, although there were 52 abstentions. What are the ramifications for the parties involved?