Leadership and Authority: An Introductory Assessment of the Palestinian Condition
By Hanan Ashrawi, Miftah,  August 1, 2002
Israeli Occupation Authority, the Palestinian Authority, and the Legal Status: The political, legal, and human condition of the Palestinian people is currently a composite of bizarre factors, bordering on the surrealistic, with very tragic consequences. A multi-tiered and varied complex of authority has evolved with various, often conflicting, influences on the lives of the Palestinians who are left reeling without proper guidance or genuine leadership.

The Challenge of Palestinian Democracy
Palestine Chronicle Editorial, September 15, 2002
Heated discussions and consequential decisions made during the last a few days by the Palestinian Parliament and leadership signaled a serious shift in the way Palestinians democracy is conducted. The first session of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), or Parliament, held in Ramallah last week, raised questions, fears and eyebrows. Some wondered if and how much did the American demands for “reform” contribute to the Parliament uproar.

Glossary of Occupation
By Paul de Rooij, Miftah, September 14, 2002
Language is a powerful yet deceptive thing. It can be used to convey someone's plight and it can also be used to hide unpalatable sordid deeds. Nowhere are words adulterated more for political ends than in Israel and Palestine today. It is no secret that Israel employs a legion of well-funded propagandists, and it also relies on self-appointed members of the press - the pro bono apologists, who serve the same purpose. Just like the lopsided imbalance of military power, the means to command and change language rests primarily with pro-Israeli propagandists. Their language obfuscates and exculpates Israel's actions against a basically defenseless population; it perpetuates the injustices and contributes to a continuation of Israel's occupation and theft of more land. To make sense of the situation and to peer through the fog, a fraction of the post-Oslo commonly abused terms are translated in this glossary.

The road to war?
The Observer, September 15, 2002
What the experts say: Did President Bush's speech to the United Nations mark a significant shift in US strategy, towards a multilateral approach to the Iraq crisis, or simply a change of tone? Will Bush's challenge to the United Nations win broader international support and isolate Saddam Hussein's regime or do too many questions remain about America's military intentions and broader political strategy? Will the crisis end in a US-led war on Iraq or could action on weapons inspections now avert a war? The Observer asked the leading experts on both sides of the Atlantic to explain the importance of last week's events and to predict how the Iraq crisis is likely to develop.