A Palestinian Authority-funded radio station launched a new televised satire that pokes fun at the government, religion, and sex. Actors on the “Homeland on a Thread” show imitate government officials, including PA President Mahmoud Abbas and Chief Negotiator Saeb Erakat.

Even though the television station requested permission from the PA to run the most controversial of sketches, agreement by the government and the mere presence of such a show represents a major shift in Palestinian culture.

During Yasser Arafat’s tenure as PA President, Palestinian security forces quashed any media efforts to criticize the PA and especially its leader. Some publications were shut down while security forces even set ablaze news offices for dis-favorable coverage of the Palestinian Authority. On one hand, government censorship clearly represents undemocratic human rights violations; on the other hand, any attacks on the leadership hinder efforts to maintain stability. As critics attack the PA, fringe and terror groups gain popularity and the ability to sabotage any PA initiatives, such as the peace process.

This new TV show pulls no punches on PA officials, terrorists, and even religion. One episode depicts a religious man unable to identify one of his wives because she is completely covered in religious garb.

In the past, the TV station would be forced to immediately cease airing the program, or even face potentially worse consequences.

The current Abbas-led government is either embracing some democratic reforms, such as transparency and the right to a free press, or has given up on maintaining stability. Let us all hope for the former.

Photo taken from The Jerusalem Post.

Last week, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak masqueraded around Washington puffing up his chest as a major broker in the Middle East peace process. In interviews, he accentuated his role in attempting to forge an agreement to renew Israel-Palestinian peace talks, to secure the release of abducted IDF soldier GiladShalit, and broker reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas.

Mubarak intends on fixing the latter of these issues by this time next month.  The Egyptian leader gave an ultimatum to Fatah and Hamas officials to solve their dispute by September 25, according to reports. Because of the lack of Palestinian unity, PA officials repeatedly postponed elections until the groups come to a resolution. Furthermore, the peace process cannot effectively move forward until the Palestinians resolve their internal disputes in order to negotiate with one voice. Mubarak threatened to involve the Arab league in the event that no deal is reached regarding Fatah-Hamas reconciliation.

On Gilad Shilat, some reports indicate that Israeli and Hamas officials could reach a deal could shortly. Key Hamas officials travelled to Cairo for Egyptian-brokered negotiations, signalling a renewal in hope that the terror group will free Shalit in exchange for its prisoners held in Israel. Similarly, other reports suggested that the relocation by Israeli of a key prisoner represents preparations for a prisoner swap (see a previous blog entry). However, every few months similar reports arise with no results.

Up until now, all three initiatives pursued by Egypt have effectively failed. U.S. efforts to renew the Israel-Palestinian peace process seem on the verge of actualization. Freeing Gilad Shalit or achieving Palestinian unity may prove that Egyptian leverage is as strong as Mubarak claims.

Flag taken from IMEMC.

A new INSS report provides an initial examination of the recent Fatah convention and elections, which ousted numerous old guard party members from the organization’s leadership ranks. Primarily, the article focuses on the effects of the conference on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas who sought to legitimize his term in office through support at the conference. While some Fatah members attempted to instill fear of Abbas by attempting to link him to the death of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Abbas succeeded in infusing younger blood into the party leadership, thereby diminishing the role of his political opponents. However, Abbas failed to stream-line the party platform; instead, the conference resulted in seemingly contradictory positions on the use of armed resistance to obtain an independent state. Notably, the report reads:

“In Palestinian eyes, there is no contradiction between these positions and the progress that has been made in negotiations over the years. Land exchanges in equal measures on the basis of 1967 borders are in line with the territorial principle of 1967 borders, and the solution of the refugee problem on the basis of Security Council Resolution 194 is in line with the formulation of the Arab peace initiative and allows for enough flexibility for an agreed-upon solution between the two sides. At the same time, many in Israel saw these positions as representing a hard line and unwillingness to show the flexibility necessary for an agreement.”

The H1N1 virus doesn’t seem to be going away in Israel or in Palestinian controlled areas. The rate of infection in Israel has risen 3.6 percent in two weeks, infecting a total of 2,148 people in the entire country thus far.

In order to combat the spread of the illness, the rabbinate is taking measures into its own hands, starting with the mezuzah. Jews customarily affix the mezuzah, a small box with religious writings, on every doorway. Religious Jews then touch the mezuzah and kiss their hand according to the custom. A doctor at a major Israeli hospital (Assaf Harofeh Medical Center) issued an order to avoid touching the mezuzah upon entering rooms in order to combat the spead of the illness. One prominent rabbi instructed followers to heed the medical advice but to continue symbolically touching the mezuzah in the air. Israel’s Chief Sephardic Rabbi Shlomo Amar said:

“If a specific order is given in the matter, the mezuzah must be kissed from the air, to ensure that the custom is not forgotten.”

Another group of rabbis and mystics took a more lofty approach to ward off the illness. 50 religious leaders boarded an aircraft on Monday and circled Israel while blowing the shofar and reciting religious texts in an effort to halt the spread of H1N1. In support of the flight, one Rabbi said:

“The purpose of the flight was to stop the epidemic, thus preventing further deaths… We are certain that because of our prayers danger is already behind us.”

Because pigs are considered an unclean animal in Judaism, many religious individuals refuse to call the illness “swine flue” and opt for the the term H1N1 or “Mexican flu,” a reference to the origin of the illness.

Aside from the rabbinate’s initiatives, the Palestinian Authority is spearheading programs to stop the spread of the H1N1 flu in the West Bank, where three additional cases were reported earlier this week. Notably, the Palestinian Authority earmarked $8 million to purchase additional vaccines against the virus. The number of H1N1 cases in Islamic areas may rise next month during the fasting month of Ramadan as millions of Muslims travel to Mecca for the Hajj pilgrimage. However, the number of travelers may decrease this year due to bans on the Hajj imposed by at least one country to prevent the spread of the illness.

Mezuzah photo taken from here.

Rabbi photo taken from the BBC.

Well, the recount of votes for seats on the Fatah Central Committee shook things up a bit. Notably, the recount pushed a prominent supporter of PA President Mahmoud Abbas, At-Tayyib Abdul Rahim, onto the panel, extending the elected part of the committee from 18 to 19 seats. Abdul Rahim previously said he would not seek a nomination to the committee but changed the morning of the vote. He initial sought to refrain from participation in order to urge the inclusion of younger Fatah members on the panel, calling them the “spine” of the movement. His inclusion increases numbers for the older Fatah members who were broadly cast aside during the vote in order to infuse the party with new blood untainted by years of corruption under Arafat.

Further, the immense support shown towards imprisoned Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, who placed third in overall voting and was accused of participating in multiple terror attacks, led one prominent member of the government to urge his release. Because of his prominent stature among Palestinians and apparent willingness to negotiate, many analysts believe that Barghouti could unite Palestinians behind a peace deal with Israel. Minority Affairs Minister Avishay Braverman called for Barghoutis release, stating:

“We must weigh his release with the aim of creating a moderate and strong political leadership among the Palestinians.”

However, opposition leader and former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni criticized Braverman’s comments, calling Barghouti a murderer. Livni stated:

“He was sentenced to many years in jail and the elections in Fatah are not a sufficient justification for his release from jail… The fact that the Palestinians elected him or that someone here in Israel thinks that he can be a partner is not a sufficient excuse for his release.”

See the certified results, with changes tabulate by Ma’an News, below.

1. Muhammad (Abu Maher) Ghneim: 1,338 + 30 = 1,368
2. Mahmoud Al-Aloul: 1,112 -10 = 1,102
3. Marwan Barghouti: 1,063
4. Nasser Al-Kidwa: 964
5. Salim Za’noun: 920
6. Jibril Rajoub: 908
7. Tawfiq Tirawi: 903
8. Saeb Erekat: 863
9. Othman Abu Gharbiya: 854
10. Muhammad Dahlan: 853
11. Muhammad Al-Madani: 841 -20 = 821
12. Jamal Muheisen: 733
13. Hussein Ash-Sheikh: 726
14. Azzam Al-Ahmad: 690
15. Sultan Abu Aynein: 677
16. At-Tayyib Abdul Rahim: 637 + 26 663
17. Abbas Zaki: 641 + 1 = 642
18. Muhammad Shtayeh: 638 + 4 = 641
19. Nabil Sha’ath: 645 - 4 = 641

Photo taken from Ma’an News.

Headlining the first Fatah conference in 20 years, the election for a new 18-seat Central Committee resulted in some serious surprises and problems for certain party members. Because some party members could not leave Gaza to vote, these officials could vote until 4 p.m.

Notably, imprisoned Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti won, what is likely to be, a dominant role on the Central Committee, placing third in the overall votes. Barghouti, once considered a successor to Arafat even though he often opposed Arafat, is being held in Israeli prison due to his role in terror attacks. Barghouti has not renounced violence as a tactic for obtaining Palestinian independence, but he is very well respected in Palestinian circles and has shown a willingness to negotiate with Israel for a peaceful solution to the conflict. Moreover, many analysts contend that Barghouti, due to his stature among the Palestinians, could be the only viable leader that could transcend divisions in Palestinian society.

Marwan Barghouti; photo taken from Al-Ahram

Only about half of the Fatah “Old Guard” members, those affiliated closely with Arafat, won seats on the Central Committee. Most prominently, PLO and Fatah leader Ahmed Queria placed 20th, thereby losing a seat on the committee if the vote stands. Queria helped negotiate the Oslo accords and was a member of Arafat’s inner-circle. The vote confirms previous sentiments that Queria lacks popular support among Palestinians.

With the rejection of many Fatah leaders from the Arafat-years and the position documents revealed at the conference, Fatah seems to be changing its posture towards internal Palestinian politics. On one level, Fatah seems to be rejecting the Arafat approach to governance and the peace process. By ousting former Arafat supporters and embracing critics of Arafat (such as Barghouti), the Fatah party is seeking to change its identity. Instead of anchoring its image as the party of Arafat (synonymous with the party of corruption, embezzlement, and failure), Fatah seems to be searching for a new voice. However, the characteristics of the new image remains unclear. Fatah can either pursue a peace process with Israel while stifling terror groups, or embark on a violent campaign that squanders any hopes for an independent state in the near future.

Fatah officials began a selective recount of ballots because of the one-vote difference separating the 18th, 19th, and 20th slots. The top vote-getters are:

1. Muhammad (Abu Maher) Ghneim: 1,338
2. Mahmoud Al-Aloul: 1,112
3. Marwan Barghouti: 1,063
4. Nasser Al-Kidwa: 964
5. Salim Za’noun: 920
6. Jibril Rajoub: 908
7. Tawfiq Tirawi: 903
8. Saeb Erekat: 863
9. Othman Abu Gharbiya: 854
10. Muhammad Dahlan: 853
11. Muhammad Al-Madani: 841
12. Jamal Muheisen: 733
13. Hussein Ash-Sheikh: 726
14. Azzam Al-Ahmad: 690
15. Sultan Abu Aynein: 677
16. Nabil Sha’ath: 645
17. Abbas Zaki: 641
18. Muhammad Shtayeh: 638

One ghost hovered over the Fatah conference this week. Not quite the ghost of Yasser Arafat, rather that of the conspiracy theory that Israel poisoned, gave AIDS to, or murdered the late Palestinian leader. Many Fatah members who adored Arafat criticized the Palestinian Authority for failing to launch an investigation into Arafat’s death. Some Fatah member previously accused members of the Palestian Authority, including President Mahmoud Abbas, of collusion to kill Arafat in order to garner power. Officially, the cause of Arafat’s death remains unknown, but doctors in Paris, where he died, believe the late Palestinian leader suffered from an immunilogical disease

Further, Fatah members accused the leadership of embezzelment and corruption, asking the Central Committee to release financial statements for the party and the Palestinian Authority. In the past, both the PA and Fatah have been excessively corrupt. Members of Fatah then accused the Central Committee of failing in their jobs, as the party members nearly came to blows before Abbas ended the debate.

These issues that erupted during the conference represent the deep divisions and mistrust within Fatah. Alongside these issues, my previous post explored the issue of armed struggle versus political tactics to obtain a state as another rift within the party.

The first Fatah conference in 20 years launched today, with the leading Palestinian faction gearing up to elect new leadership. Due to the inability of some Fatah officials in Gaza to attended the event in Bethlehem, Fatah intends to hold a concurrent conference in the Strip to ensure Gaza-based party members have input.

The primary agenda item at the conference involves two documents that guide Fatah’s policies. The principles expressed in these documents reflect the internal disagreements within Fatah and amongst the Palestinian people as a whole. Even within the ruling party, Fatah, some members advocate armed struggle based on previous methods employed by the organization while other leaders within the party urge political solutions endorsed by the international community. The “Political Program” document expresses the Fatah views to an international audience. The document does not explicitly advocate armed resistance and asserts the need to examine international peace plans, such as the Arab Peace Initiative. Meanwhile, the “Internal Order” document advocates the use of force and armed resistance while rejecting the initiatives bolstered by the international community. This document largely appeases internal Fatah factions that urge a more active and armed strategy to attain an independent state. Analyzing these documents, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs analyst Pinhas Inbari writes,

“While Fatah’s Political Program tries to accommodate international expectations and seems designed to mobilize international legitimacy for the re-launching of a “peaceful intifada,” Fatah’s “Internal Order” reminds us how deeply ingrained in Fatah is its ideology from the 1960s and 1970s.”

New York Times Correspondent Taghreed El-Khodary describes the current situation in the Gaza Strip in an interview with Middle East Progress. Her account provides an interesting look at the mentality of many Gazans, some of which remain pleased with the overall situation because of the infrastructure set up by Hamas to provide social services. However, Hamas has also slowly begun introducing Sharia law, a move that will likely begin to alienate additional segments of the population. Notably, she states:

“Yes, it’s a new structure they are creating, and it makes a segment of society happy. Who is happy? Hamas supporters. Who else? Poor people, because they benefit from the international aid organizations and at the same time from Hamas, which has supported the poor all along, but now the international community is focusing on humanitarian aid to them also. So, it’s the best arrangement for them because never before have they gotten so much assistance. So, there is a segment of society that is happy, the ones who are praising the new awareness campaign that Hamas is using instead of imposing the veil and Sharia, by force. Before they used to be in the mosques, but now they are ministers, they’re in the schools—they have so much access to society.

There was a tendency within an element of Hamas to impose Sharia law, but the stronger tendency was against it. That was smart on the part of the current senior political leaders, because if they do so, it will undo their progress among the international community and so far Hamas are not keen to undermine themselves with the international community because they seek contact with it. From my observations, I would say that they would be interested in getting direct contact with the American administration. So, indirectly, they are working on it. They are not imposing anything. So you have a segment of society that is happy, about Gaza being a conservative place. In Palestinian society, if you go to the West Bank—the West Bank is not only Ramallah—if you go to Nablus, if you go to Hebron, if you go to different villages in the West Bank, they are very conservative. So, that speaks to the public.”

The first Fatah conference in 25 years may cause significant tensions between the Palestinian Authority, Israel, the United States, and Egypt, according to a news report. Next week’s conference is expected to boost the legitimacy of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, but recent hurdles may torpedo the event while taking Abbas and the peace process with it. In order for the conference to succeed, Israel would have to concede to allow many extremists from abroad and the Gaza Strip into the West Bank to attend the conference, an act that could potentially threaten Israel, Knowing that a failed conference would force Abbas to resign, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak reportedly pressured U.S. Special Envoy George Mitchell to urge Israeli cooperation with the event. The United States embarked on a serious Israel-Palestine peace process centered on Abbas, whose removal from office would hinder the entire effort. At the conference, Abbas is also expected to appoint Maher Gneim as his successor and second in command. Gneim repeatedly called for armed resistance against Israel and attempted to sabotage the peace process in the mid-90s. 

Notably, the report reads,

“The Israeli government therefore finds itself in the hugely anomalous position of being squeezed by the United States, Egypt and the Palestinian Authority to help launch a Palestinian conference which is certain to be as radically anti-Israel as the Islamist Hamas to give the US-promoted “peace process” a necessary lifeline.”