Palestine-Mandate

Member of the Online News Association

This blog will attempt to analyze and report on the Middle East peace process, as well as on what’s actually happening on the ground.Though this blog will NOT be primarily about history, it hopes to be informed by history. Facts that are being created on the ground now are a continuation of strategies and ambitions forged in the First World War and its aftermath. The Mandatory System that the victorious allies later had endorsed by their own League of Nations set the basis of the foundation of the State of Israel (as well as of modern-day Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq ). It is also the basis of what Palestinians refer to as “international legitimacy”.

This blog is written by Marian Houk, a writer, reporter, journalist and analyst with experience at the United Nations and in the Middle East, who has followed the peace process from 1967 to the present — presently based in Jerusalem.

Palestine-Mandate is hosted on servers that are set up and maintained by Zero-Analog in San Francisco.

Some recently-published articles by Marian Houk:

U.S. announces new emergency project to shore up sewage containment in Gaza
December 17, 2007
Marian Houk
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=46252

Palestinian Authority struggles with Gaza sanctions
December 10, 2007
by Marian Houk
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=45273

Palestinians asked to acknowledge Israel as a Jewish State
November 13, 2007
by Marian Houk
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=42748

Stop or step out
One of the UN’s own calls for the UN’s head to stop playing favourites in Israeli-Palestinian affairs, writes Marian Houk in Jerusalem.
18 - 24 October 2007 - Issue No. 867
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2007/867/index.htm

Rice visits the birthplace of Jesus in Bethlehem
October 17, 2007
by Marian Houk
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=40544

Shimon Peres says that Israel can now get over being nervous
September 25, 2007
by Marian Houk
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=38465

Gaza gas talks with Israel, UK firm quietly ongoing
Marian Houk
Middle East Times
June 28, 2007
JERUSALEM — While some Palestinians have angrily said they are prepared to write off Gaza in the wake of Hamas’ recent rout of Fatah forces there, cooler heads are pondering the implications concerning Gaza’s maritime assets - in particular, the natural gas deposits off Gaza’s Mediterranean coast.
http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070628-090038-7580r

 

Analysis: Leaving Gaza
Marian Houk
Middle East Times
June 22, 2007
GAZA CITY & JERUSALEM — While there are still those reluctant to set foot outside their houses since Hamas’ climactic rout of Fatah from Gaza last week, others, newly liberated from their homes, are enjoying the relative tranquility. This shift in fear is part of a wider picture suggesting Gaza, today, may be only part of the way through a revolution.
http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070622-095230-8134r

 

Hamas leader pledges Gaza reconstruction
Marian Houk
Middle East Times
June 21, 2007
GAZA CITY — Mahmoud Zahar, one of the founders and leaders of Hamas, whose forces overran Fatah fighters in a stunning rout in Gaza last week, said Wednesday that the priority in Gaza now was to reconstruct what had been destroyed.
http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070621-084451-2362r

 

Torment continues at Erez checkpoint, uneasy peace holds in Gaza
Marian Houk
Middle East Times
June 20, 2007
GAZA CITY — There may be worse places on earth, but not many. The Erez checkpoint between the northern Gaza Strip and Israel is designed for hostile crowd control. Over the past few days, its concrete corridors have become fearful, squalid holding cells where hundreds of Palestinians have been trapped in fear, without food, water, sanitation, or shelter. Adamantly refusing to return to Gaza, they have been barred by Israel from passing through, even if only to reach the West Bank.
http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070620-075400-2326r

 

Interview: Mustafa Barghouti on Palestinian ‘emergency’
Marian Houk
Middle East Times
June 18, 2007
JERUSALEM — Mustafa Barghouti, the Palestinian minister of information in the National Unity Government suspended Friday night by President Mahmoud Abbas after a stunning rout of Fatah forces by Hamas in Gaza, says he turned down the offer, this weekend, of a portfolio in the just-formed Emergency Government in Palestine.
http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070618-010912-9267r

 

Analysis: Security first priority vows new Abbas cabinet
Marian Houk
Middle East Times
June 18, 2007
JERUSALEM — Recently-appointed Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad - also heading the new Palestinian foreign and finance ministries - has vowed that assuring law and order would be a key priority of the day-old Palestinian emergency cabinet.
http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070618-085956-8501r

 

Hamas attempts Gaza clean-up, Fatah talks for new government excluding rivals continue
Marian Houk, additional reporting by Raja Mukahal
Middle East Times
June 16, 2007
As Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Saturday held consultations in Ramallah, West Bank on the formation of an emergency, Hamas-free government, two days after the Islamist movement’s stunning rout of Fatah fighters in the Gaza Strip, Hamas, itself, was moving to clean up the streets and restore order in Gaza. After its military coup - described as an attempt to restore law and order - Hamas denounced Abbas’ efforts to form a new government as being equivalent to a political coup.
http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070616-074001-6435r

 

Israel continues Palestinian tax fund freeze, Abbas renews calls for Gaza port
Marian Houk
Middle East Times
June 14, 2007
JERUSALEM — Despite an Israeli cabinet decision that “water and electricity should be kept out of the conflict,” Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has still not agreed to lift a freeze of Palestinian funds to pay for the connection of a northern Gaza electrical substation to Israel’s electrical grid.
http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070614-091456-1597r

 

Lawyers grapple with 40 years of Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory
Marian Houk
Middle East Times
June 11, 2007
TEL AVIV & JERUSALEM — An all-star cast of international law experts pondered Israel’s lengthy occupation of Palestinian territory last week, as the world marked the 40th anniversary of the June 1967 Six-Day war that brought the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem under Israeli control.
http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070611-044656-9455r

 

Gaza plant still hobbled almost a year after attack
Marian Houk
Middle East Times
June 8, 2007
RAMALLAH & JERUSALEM — Nearly a year after an Israeli airstrike, Gaza’s power plant cannot yet resume full operation to supply vitally-needed electricity to one of the most densely populated areas on earth - just as demand is about to peak during the hot summer months.
http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070608-063048-6715r

 

Israel minister, Fatah officer trade views on Gaza crisis
Marian Houk
Middle East Times
June 1, 2007
JERUSALEM — Despite the dark humor and occupation-derived anecdotes, a meeting between a controversial Fatah commander and Israel’s environment minister to discuss the current Gaza violence demonstrated a willingness to strive for a solution.
http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070601-074306-9124r

 

 

More than a spin doctor - an interview with top Israeli strategist Eyal Arad
Marian Houk
Middle East Times
May 30, 2007
JERUSALEM — It was not Ehud Barak’s experience, nor Ami Ayalon’s position as a relative political novice, that made the 5-percent difference in the votes garnered Monday by these two frontrunners in Israel’s important Labor Party primary elections. The decisive factor was that Barak had a much better field operation, according to one of Israel’s top political strategists, Eyal Arad.
http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070530-041248-9001r

Analysis: Six months of negotiations may open way to long-term Israeli deal to buy Gaza gas
Marian Houk
Middle East Times
May 26, 2007
Jerusalem — Movement was reported this week on an Israeli government decision to authorize a long-term agreement to purchase gas from Gaza’s offshore wells at market price from the Palestinian Authority
http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070526-033515-3404r

Abbas says ceasefire holds, praises Swiss peace plan
Marian Houk
Middle East Times
April 27, 2007
GENEVA — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Thursday that while there had been a “disruption” in the ceasefire with Israel during the past week, “things are going back as they were before, I hope.” He also indicated his support for an earlier Geneva proposal, aimed at facilitating a final Palestinian-Israeli peace agreement.
http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070427-080405-2453r

 

 

Palestinian state legal basis in place say experts
Marian Houk
Middle East Times
March 22, 2007
http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070322-113145-3234r

 

Analysis: UN says Israel must face sensitive issues
Marian Houk
Middle East Times
March 11, 2007
http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070311-014041-3498r

 

Analysis: UN urges Israel to counter discrimination
Marian Houk
Middle East Times
February 27, 2007
http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070227-035925-7158r

 

 

Outside looking in
The Palestinian Diaspora is gearing up to get more involved in the handling of the cause, reports Marian Houk from Geneva
8 - 14 December 2005 - Issue No. 772
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2005/772/re2.htm