Palestinian leadership: Now the people must decide

First published in the Middle East Eye on 13/10/2022 A true change in leadership cannot be achieved by simply replacing the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas with one of his cronies The wrong question to ask now is who should succeed President Mahmoud Abbas, pictured in Ankara on 23 August 2022 (AFP) The question of succession …

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Opinion: The extinction of the PLO, if Palestinians let it happen

First published by the Middle East Monitor on 18/2/2022 The situation in Palestine gets worse by the day. However, this is not only from Israeli crimes against the Palestinians, including Sheikh Jarrah, but from the behaviour of the now self-proclaimed Palestinian leadership in Ramallah. A matter of a few days has separated the illegitimate meeting …

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Opinion: Palestine: Why Mahmoud Abbas and his team must go

First published by the Middle East Eye on 14/2/2022 Central Council meeting showed, yet again, that our leaders are unaccountable to the people Palestinian political leaders must back away from their illegitimate positions and stop trying to take the Palestinian people for fools. At a meeting last week of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)’s central council in …

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Opinion: Palestinians should unite to oppose the upcoming PCC meeting

First published by Aljazeera on 4/2/2022 Abbas is planning to use the PLO’s upcoming Central Council meeting to expand the lifespan of his illegitimate regime. 84-year-old Mahmoud Abbas was elected as the President of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) for a four-year term some 17 years ago, but he is still in office [Mohamad Torokman/AFP] …

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Palestine’s electoral process threatens to legitimise the status quo

First published by the Middle East Eye on 27/1/2021 By holding parliamentary elections first, the Palestinian leadership aims to protect the PA and the Oslo paradigm. A series of Palestinian elections have been scheduled between May and August (AFP/file photo) A letter from Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh was enough to trigger a long-awaited presidential decree by Palestinian Authority (PA) President …

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Why we need elections to the Palestinian National Council

First published by the Middle East Eye on 23/6/2020 Frustrated by the failure of their leadership to push back against Israeli apartheid, Palestinians are signing a petition to give themselves a stronger voice The Palestinian flag is waved during a protest in Tel Aviv over Israeli annexation on 6 June (AFP) As possible annexation of …

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Why Palestinians deserve a new leadership

First published by the Middle East Eye on 2/3/2020 The Palestinian Authority's response to Trump's 'deal of the century' has been woefully inadequate, and Hamas is no better Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks to the UN Security Council in New York on 11 February (AFP) A month since US President Donald Trump announced his “deal …

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The PNC meeting was ‘much ado about nothing’

First published by the Middle East Monitor on 7/5/2018   Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (2nd L) makes a speech during the 23rd session of the Palestinian National Council in Ramallah, West Bank on 30 April 2018 [Issam Rimawi/Anadolu Agency] After a 22-year lull, the highest Palestinian legislative authority of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), the …

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Interview: Palestinians vote to suspend Israel’s recognition

I was interviewed by Press TV about the final statement of the Palestinian Central Council on 15/1/2018   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KftHJfLdw0A&feature=youtu.be

A tale of two embassies and the ‘ultimate deal’

First published in the Arab Weekly on 3/12/2017 The continuing discussions on moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem raise serious doubts with the Palestinians.  Risks ahead. The exterior of the US Embassy building in Tel Aviv. (AFP) US Vice-President Mike Pence recently confirmed that “President Donald Trump is actively considering when and how to move …

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