Mahmoud Abbas
All topics-
Palestinian territories
From self-determination to dictatorship: With a rod of iron
In the West Bank, the Palestinian Authority has long ceased to pursue the national aspirations of its population and established a security apparatus designed to secure the status quo. Meanwhile in Gaza, the de facto Hamas regime is planning to hand over control to its military wing. Commentary by Abdalhadi Alijla
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Controversial documentary on anti-Semitism
"Bibi" TV
An anti-Semitism documentary that aired recently on the German public channel ARD has come under fire for distorting the truth. To date, the ensuing debate has focused on censorship in public television broadcasting, poor communication and a commitment from the BILD tabloid newspaper to investigate the matter. But little attention has been paid to the nub of the issue: the film and its weaknesses. Commentary by Stefan Buchen
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Middle East peace process
Playing the Trump card?
Fond of boasting about his deal-making capabilities, U.S. president Donald Trump has oozed confidence in the run-up to his visit to Israel and the Occupied Territories. Whether he will prove a mediating or an alienating influence remains to be seen. By Ylenia Gostoli
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Trump, Abbas and the Middle East conflict
Rose-tinted posturing
Since Trump′s inauguration there has been plenty of contact between the White House and stakeholders in the Middle East. Achieving the ′big ultimate deal′, however, will take more than cosy platitudes. Commentary by Alaa Tartir
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Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike
Raising the stakes
Palestinian prisoners in Israel have launched a collective hunger strike. The imprisoned Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti is thus returning to the political stage. Inge Gunther in Jerusalem has the details
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Democracy in Palestine
High hopes, low expectations
Palestinians who hoped municipal elections would eventually pave the way to overdue national ones voice criticism about decisions that led to their postponement. By Ylenia Gostoli
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Israel and the settlements
Netanyahu′s forked tongue
The video posted by Benjamin Netanyahu on 9 September took everyone by surprise. Nobody could explain it – neither the timing, the essence, nor the Israeli prime minister′s hidden agenda. For years now, the so-called peace process has been in stasis. Then, out of the blue, Netanyahu decides to address the evacuation of Jewish settlers. Commentary by Gideon Levy
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Palestine's Mohammed Dahlan
A finger in every pie
Formerly the Palestinian Authority′s head of security, Mohammed Dahlan is regarded not only as President Abbas′ arch-rival, but also as a political multi-talent with the best international connections. Many believe the ousted Fatah functionary is planning a return to the political stage. By Neville Teller
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PalFest 2016: Interview with Palestinian poet Jehan Bseiso
Breaking the cultural siege on Palestine
From 21 – 26 May, the Palestine Festival of Literature toured cities in the West Bank and Israel. In attendance was Jehan Bseiso, a young Palestinian poet. With two anthologies to her name and online publications with ″Electronic Intifada″ and ″The Palestine Chronicle″, Jehan is currently working on a poetry collection called ″Conversations Continued″ – a compilation of real, misheard and misremembered conversations. Interview by Ylenia Gostoli
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France and the Middle East
What chance ″la grande paix″?
Since the beginning of the year, the French government has been building support for an international conference to restart the Israel-Palestine peace process. France deserves applause for its brave effort to revive a process that has been going nowhere for the best part of a decade. But success will require more than courage. By Daoud Kuttab
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Middle East conflict
What prospect peace?
2015 closed in a wave of violence. Israel has continued consolidating its control of the West Bank and forged ahead with settlement building. Radical Palestinians have reacted to the increased repression with knife attacks. Details from Tel Aviv by Daniella Cheslow
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Israel in the media
Fighting the empty phrase
In Germany, public statements about Israel often lack quality. The quality of media discourse comes from knowledge and precise observation, but also from controversy and a diversity of voices. When it comes to Israel, something else sets the tone: the empty phrase