Ghassan Khatib: The Foundation of Independence

Ghassan Khatib, pictured second from left with Hanan Ashrawi, among others

I met Ghassan Khatib on July 31st in his Ramallah office to speak about the Palestinian government's efforts to build the institutions of state in the West Bank. Khatib is the Director of the Government Media Center for the Palestinian National Authority in Ramallah. He was a member of the Madrid Peace Delegation in 1991 and formerly served as Minister of Labor and Planning Minister for the Palestinian National Authority. Khatib shared his opinions on the development of state institutions under the Israeli occupation as a step towards gaining Palestinian independence.

Image: www.life.com

Occupation and Cooperation: Hani Masri

I spoke with Hani Masri for the second time on CrossTalk on July 28 in his Ramallah office. Masri is an independent columnist for several Middle East newspapers, and is the General Director the Palestine Media Research and Studies Centre - Badael. Masri spoke on Palestinian politics, the resistance to Israeli occupation, and the issue of cooperation between the Israeli and Palestinian governments and security administrations. Masri believes that the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza must be met with every form of peaceful, popular resistance. Masri sees the current cooperation between the Israeli and Palestinian governments as merely a "beautification" of occupation.

For an analytical summation of my interviews with Hani Masri as well as other Palestinian thinkers, activists, and statesmen, please see "The Resistance."

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Photo: CrossTalk