Creating new perspectives since 2009
Items by Dr Adnan Abu Amer
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The Hamas-Iran alliance remains and expands
Iranian-Palestinian relations – specifically with the resistance factions led by Hamas and Islamic Jihad – are gradually growing and developing in what seems to be an attempt to make up for the coldness between them during the Syrian crisis. This development manifested itself on two levels over the last few...
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Hamas has a positive legacy with Christians but it faces a serious test
In its efforts to rally all Palestinians, Hamas strives to be inclusive. Over the past few years since winning control of the Gaza Strip in 2006/7, the Islamic Resistance Movement has made efforts to accept differences and opposition, despite a few mishaps here and there. In recent days, Palestinian activists...
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Hamas is trying to overcome obstacles to return to Syria
Exactly six years ago, the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement — Hamas — ended its official presence in Syria due to the deteriorating security situation in the country on one hand, and because an impasse was reached on discussions between the movement and the regime on how to handle the...
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The Israelis are buying time with a truce that has not yet been reached
It is no longer a secret that the efforts of the local, regional and international parties to reach a truce between the resistance and Israel are declining. This absolves the latter of any commitments and promises made to the resistance through mediators and envoys. This decline is contrary to what...
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There is a bitter legacy in Israel on its Gaza evacuation anniversary
In August 2005, the Israeli occupation forces withdrew from the Gaza Strip in a unilateral disengagement plan announced by the then Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Although there is much to be said about the reasons for the evacuation of settlers and soldiers alike — the efforts of the Palestinian...
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What to do in the face of the Israeli escalation in Gaza
I am writing this as Israeli missiles are destroying buildings in Gaza, killing children and frightening civilians under the pretext of tackling the issue of kites that have burned a few acres of agricultural land in our occupied land. This justification fails to convince in light of the magnitude...
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Israeli generals: We’ll miss Abbas after he’s gone
Israel’s press continues to write about the shape of the Palestinian Authority when President Mahmoud Abbas leaves the political arena. This comes amid speculation about his deteriorating health and loss of the physical ability to carry out his presidential duties. Ilan Lucatchi, a Channel 13 commentator, said that despite the...
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The Iranian media’s interest in Palestine has declined
Iran has cut the expenses of its media offices in Palestine and has not paid debts of $3 million to local television production companies for the hire of equipment and satellite time; some of these companies have worked with the Iranians for up to 10 years, but that has...
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Will Israel try to avoid its previous mistakes by launching another war against Gaza?
Israel is facing the consequences of the leaks of extracts from the State Comptroller’s report on the failures of the 2014 war against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. This has led to speculation by both Palestinians and Israelis about the possibility of Israel being able to avoid these...
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Prisoner swaps between Hamas and Israel are a sensitive issue
The issue of Israeli soldiers captured by Hamas in Gaza still has momentum in Israel, with various predictions of whether the two sides will get into agreement for a prisoner exchange or if they will postpone it, especially after the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades — the Hamas military wing —...
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Is Fatah heading towards a split?
Days after the end of Fatah’s Seventh Conference, and Mahmoud Abbas’ success in excluding the team of his nemesis Mohammed Dahlan, there have been increasing rumours that the latter may have the last word; Dahlan may, perhaps, announce the establishment of a new Fatah movement. What are the chances...
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Lieberman against Hamas in Gaza and against Abbas in the West Bank
Palestinians did not really need to see Avigdor Lieberman, head of Yisrael Beiteinu, appointed as minister of defence on 25 May to be convinced that the coalition led by Benjamin Netanyahu since 15 May 2015 is the most right-wing and extreme government in the history of Israel. This government...
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Lieberman at the top of the military in Israel
Avigdor Lieberman is a Jew from the former Soviet Union; he was born in the former Soviet Republic of Moldova. With his appointment as Defence Minister his wish has finally come true after 20 years in politics; he is now at the top of the military pyramid in Israel. There...
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Israel’s continued pursuits in the West Bank
Palestinians and Israelis are experiencing a conflict over the Israeli army’s “pursuit” of wanted Palestinians in Area A. Meanwhile, Palestinian security agencies are asking Israelis to hand over security information in order for them to arrest and pursue wanted Palestinians themselves, but Israel is refusing and demands to do...
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Banks and currency exchange offices persecuted by the PA
Palestinians are dependent on banks and currency exchange offices in their financial transactions, such as receiving cash transfers from employers and relatives, and perhaps even for financial transfers sent by factions based abroad to their members inside Palestine. Such transactions sometimes face harsh policies imposed by the Palestinian Authority...
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Ideology and politics compete in Hamas pronouncements
In an area where international and regional affairs are now often one and the same, the local dimension no longer plays a sole major role in managing events and developments. This applies to relationships as much as anything, and has been manifested in more than one case on more...
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Gaza’s tunnels: The future battlefield
The recent death of seven Al-Qassam Brigades members after the collapse of a tunnel highlighted the new combat style created by Hamas in the Palestinian territories a decade ago, when the Israeli army was in the heart of Gaza before it withdrew. Early digging The tunnel war is considered one of...
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When Israel tries to export its crisis from the West Bank to Gaza…
January 1st was not a good start to the year for the Israelis, as it was the day that Palestinian Nashat Melhem carried out an armed attack in the heart of Tel Aviv in broad daylight, killing and injuring Israeli citizens. The occupation state and its security, military and...
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The parameters of the relationship between Israel and Egypt
Israel has shown unrivalled enthusiasm for the survival of the government currently ruling in Egypt, until further notice, at least. It may not be an exaggeration on my part to say that Israel is almost the only country in the world to give the Egyptian government a blank cheque,...
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Israel’s objectives for its wall on the Gaza border
Since the end of the 2014 Israeli war on Gaza, the enclave’s borders have been witnessing mutual mobility by the Israeli army and Hamas fighters, with each sending the other messages to warn against the imposition of new realities on the ground. Such messages are represented by the digging...
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The Palestinian and Israeli options for the intifada
At the climax of the intifada’s successive developments on the ground, the political position surrounding the events seem to need much clarification and reading. This is despite the fact that the political vagueness of the forces and parties associated with the intifada is deliberate and is not necessarily spontaneous. The...
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Israel’s decision to ban the Islamic Movement may just be the tip of the iceberg
Israel’s decision to ban the Islamic Movement, led by Shaikh Raed Salah, has opened a new door to confrontation. It also sheds light once again on the reality of their turbulent relationship over the past few years after voices from within the government, parliament and security services have called...
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Intifada without a leadership… until when?
Since the outbreak of the Palestinian-Israeli clashes at the beginning of the month, one distinction was highlighted: the absence of a political and field leader. Meanwhile, the Palestinian youth continue to face the Israeli army individually, even in carrying out their armed operations, as well as the stabbings and...
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Is the security coordination limiting events in the West Bank?
At a time when political relations are becoming increasingly strained between the Palestinians and Israelis, the two sides are looking into the future of the security coordination between them with caution and concern. This is in light of the Palestinians’ demands to end the coordination because it only serves...
