MER Article Lebanon's Palestinians This article was written by a special correspondent. Residents of Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon have been cautiously peeking out of their prison-like camps after nearly a decade of sieges and assaults. But looking out is now fraught with anxiety. There is no future in the camps, residents co (Author not identified) • 2 min read
MER Article An Interview with Salim Tamari Salim Tamari, a contributing editor of this magazine, teaches sociology at Birzeit University. He also heads the Palestinian delegation to the multilateral talks on refugees. He spoke with Joe Stork in Ramallah in late October 1993. Some people here argue that there’s quite a lot of opposition to t Joe Stork • 5 min read
MER Article An Interview with Charles Shammas Charles Shammas is the founder and project director of Mattin, an industry promotion organization in the West Bank. He is also a founding member of al-Haq, a leading Palestinian human rights organization, and of the Jerusalem-based Center for International Human Rights Enforcement. Joe Stork spoke w Joe Stork • 7 min read
MER Article Palestinian Land Documents Far from the glare of the media attention, on dusty shelves lining the basement of the Jordanian Department of Lands and Survey in Amman, lies a key to the political and economic viability of the Palestinian entity which may emerge out of the Oslo accords. Scores of folders documenting the details o Michael R. Fischbach • 3 min read
MER Article An Interview with Salah 'Abd al-Shafi Salah ‘Abd al-Shafi directs the Economic Development Group in Gaza. Graham Usher, a journalist currently working in the Gaza Strip, interviewed him in September and October 1993. What do you think the agreement means economically? Graham Usher • 7 min read
MER Article An Interview with Khalil Mahshi Khalil Mahshi is headmaster of the Friends’ Boys School in Ramallah. Joe Stork spoke with him there in late October 1993. How do you assess the accord and its importance? I didn’t know how to react. When Israeli friends asked me, “Why aren’t you happy? It’s mutual recognition, it’s the beginning o Joe Stork • 6 min read
MER Article An Interview with Samir Hleileh Samir Hleileh, an economist who teaches at Birzeit University, is deputy director of the Palestinian Technical Committees and a liaison with the World Bank and other international agencies. Joe Stork spoke with him in late October 1993. The Oslo agreement builds in an Israeli economic component to Joe Stork • 7 min read
MER Article An Interview with Azmi Bishara Azmi Bishara, a Palestinian citizen of Israel, teaches at Birzeit University. Joe Stork spoke with him in Jerusalem in late October 1993. How do you assess the present situation? For or against the agreement is no longer relevant. But I don’t think there’s anything to celebrate. So you don’t thin Joe Stork • 7 min read
MER Article After Oslo By shaking hands on September 13, 1993, Yasser Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin jointly revised the parameters of political possibilities in the Middle East. Whether these possibilities include a just peace and comprehensive reconciliation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is, four months later, far from certain. In the first week of December, Beshara Doumani, Joe Stork • 9 min read
MER Article Israel's Economic Strategy for Palestinian Independence A peace agreement between the government of Israel and the PLO has yet to be signed; a Palestinian state has yet to be established. But such details are unimportant to the organizations representing the Israeli bourgeoisie. “It does not matter whether a Palestinian state arises, whether Israel imposes autonomy or Asher Davidi • 6 min read
MER Article Rethinking Palestinian Politics During the Gulf war the entire population of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip lived under total curfew for 36 days, with brief and erratic periods of relaxation toward the end of the ordeal. Most inhabitants had no secure supply of food and fuel, no gas masks and no Joel Beinin • 5 min read
MER Article The Islamist Movements in the Occupied Territories Iyad Barghouti, professor of sociology at al-Najah University in Nablus, is the author of The Palestinian Islamic Movement and the New World Order (1992) and Islamization and Politics in the Palestinian Territories (1990). He spoke with Lisa Hajjar on May 5, 1993. How would you describe the appeal Lisa Hajjar • 8 min read
