Abbas catches Israel off guard - Al-Monitor: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Daoud Kuttab

Daoud Kuttab

Apr 7, 2014

A masked Palestinian boy holds a picture of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during a Fatah demonstration in support of Abbas in the West Bank village of Kofr Qadoum near Nablus April 4, 2014. REUTERS/Abed Omar Qusini (WEST BANK - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) - RTR3JYJS — A masked Palestinian boy holds a picture of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during a Fatah demonstration in support of Abbas in the West Bank village of Kofr Qadoum, April 4, 2014. — REUTERS/Abed Omar Qusini

Palestinian leaders vote for international conventions as Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas (C) chairs a meeting in the West Bank City of Ramallah April 1, 2014. Abbas signed more than a dozen international conventions on Tuesday citing anger at Israel's delay of a prisoner release, in a move jeopardised U.S. efforts to salvage fragile peace talks. REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman (WEST BANK - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR3JIOJ

Abbas turns tables in peace talks with UN move

Daoud Kuttab

In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics

Palestinians wait for the release of prisoners from Israeli jails, near Erez crossing between Israel and northern Gaza Strip October 30, 2013. Israel freed 26 Palestinian prisoners on Wednesday, the second stage of a limited amnesty designed to help U.S.-sponsored peace talks that have been dogged by divisions on both sides. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem (GAZA - Tags: POLITICS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTX14T9I

Israel traps Palestinians in negotiations with prisoner card

Daoud Kuttab

In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics

A Palestinian girl waits to fill her containers with water from public taps in Beit Lahiya, near the border between Israel and the northern Gaza Strip, February 25, 2014. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem (GAZA - Tags: SOCIETY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTR3FPN6

Abbas should condition peace talks on lifting Gaza siege

Daoud Kuttab

In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas meets with Palestinian leadership in the West Bank city of Ramallah August 26, 2014. Abbas, 79, says he will not stand in future elections, so it is only a matter of time before he passes the baton to a new leader, one whom the vast majority of Palestinians - 4.4 million in the West Bank and Gaza and nearly 7 million elsewhere around the world - hope will lead to the foundation of an independent Palestinian state. The problem is that Abbas has not named a successor and sh

Creativity needed to break Israeli-Palestinian logjam

Daoud Kuttab

In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics