By Daoud Kuttab

Something strange happened in the Arab region this week. People followed closely the final legal decision-making process of the electoral college and were mesmerized by the strength of American democracy. The widely followed BBC Arabic program Nuqtat Hewar (on radio, tv, and social media) engaged with audiences throughout the Arab region with many expressing their amazement at the way the American people and the U.S. institutions withstood an authoritarian takeover attempt. Some, however, have noted the lack of resolve by both democrats and republicans when it came to supporting democratic aspirations around the world.

Having been badly…

Dear President-elect

Congratulations on your successful election as the 46th president of the United States of America.

My best wishes to you and your team as we all join together in praying that your presidency will witness the end of the wave of hatred and lack of tolerance not only in America but throughout the world including our holy land.

I am writing to you as a father to a father. I know that you lost your dear so Beau and therefore I am certain you will understand my feelings towards my son who has been in an Israeli prison…

By Daoud Kuttab

After nearly three years of boycotting the U.S. administration, the Palestinian leadership is looking forward to renewing talks with Washington and the new president-elect with an initial focus on the need to stop illegal settlement building. Yet in his last days in office US Secretary of State plans to visit an illegal West Bank settlement.

Throughout outgoing President Trump’s four disastrous years, Palestinians were not only unhappy with the biased actions of his administration, but they felt it gave the right-wing Israeli prime minister a green light to put further pressure on them. Israel’s decision of holding back tax revenues…

By Daoud Kuttab

I have always been captivated by Ajplus. A genuine professional media outlet that has chosen to speak to young people and individuals on the run in their own language and using a style that is attractive to them. Short to the point videos with large yellow superimposed text that you can read without having the audio on if you were on a crowded train or in the doctor’s waiting room.

I found out about Ajplus from my son who was using it as a role model for the way he wanted to direct young media practitioners in…

Open letter to Jordanian Catholic leaders:

For some time, we have been hearing unconfirmed rumors about the financial troubles facing the Latin patriarchate in Jerusalem which supervises Catholics in Jordan, Palestine, and Israel.

Before that, we have heard that the reason for this financial difficulty was the mistaken fiscal policies carried out during the phase of establishing the American University in Madaba which is owned by the church. Some said the problems were management-related others said it was financial or administrative corruption and that some took advantage of the church and blackmailed it for personal gain.

At the time the rumors circulating said that the debt…

The Egyptian authorities arrested our son Ramy Nabeel Shaath and he is still being held in the Torah jail near Cairo since July 2019. The Egyptian authorities announced yesterday that his name has been placed on the terror list of the Egyptian government, which means that he can’t travel and that the government will put its hands on his assets. Our family has tried since his arrest to contact the Egyptian authorities. We have contacted various Egyptian officials seeking his release but to no avail.

The UN Human Rights Council and other international bodies, as well as relevant human rights…

The proposal offered by U.S. President Donald Trump to solve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict had a major fatal problem. With a smiley Israeli caretaker prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu standing next to him, Trump could have said almost everything that Palestinians wanted in a peace plan and still it would have been rejected because of this glaring flaw. Trump and company failed to understand or reflect the importance of dignity and national identity to Palestinians.

For decades Palestinians fought against both colonial powers, Israelis, Arabs and international parties who tried to bypass them and make deals on behalf of Palestinians or look…

A surprise visit by a nine-member U.S. congressional delegation to Jordan Saturday, October 19th appears to have been aimed at boosting Jordan while also collecting information on the effects of the latest decision by President Trump in regards to Turkey and Syria. The short visit to Jordan was followed by a visit to Afghanistan.

Ahmad Bushnaq the secretary-general of the Jordanian Constitutional Party believes the visiting delegation which included Elliot Engel the head of the foreign relations committee in the U.S. House of Representatives wants to ensure that America doesn’t lose its influence in the region. …