Problem with Palestinian PR

by Charles Lenchner · 2009-03-11 16:40:00 UTC
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Arabnews.com addresses the problem of Palestinian PR. The Israelis

...cannot afford Palestinian officials whom Americans and Europeans listen to and connect with. They want Palestinian leaders to appear belligerent and intransigent. They use that as the excuse not to talk — and the Americans and the Europeans go along with it.

I find myself agreeing. We all know how hated Hanan Ashrawi was, and how good she was as a representative of the Palestinian people.

Her ability to influence American opinion is unparalleled among Palestinian leaders — but the Palestinians have failed to use her. For the past few years, she has been sidelined. It was a serious mistake.

Haidar Abdel ShafiWhile Arabnews.com bemoans the problem of Palestinian PR, I find myself asking another question. Why have Palestinians produced so many leaders who are so scary? Why so many warlords, clan leaders and militia gang bosses?

I recognize that there have been many wonderful leaders that do NOT fall into that camp. The imprisoned Marwan Barghouti, presidential candidate Mustapha Barghouti, and the sadly passed away Haidar Abdel Shafi and Faisal Husseini. It feels like - and please correct me if you know better - that these leaders loomed larger in international circles than they did at home. The don't seem to have (or had) the muscle of Jibril Rajoub or Mohammed Dahlan.

Never mind what's good about Hanan Ashrawi for PR purposes. Why does the product Ashrawi sells not finding buyers in the Palestinian political marketplace?

Note: Excellent resource for biographies of Palestinian leaders can be found here.

PS: Looking at that list, I realized I've met with Yassar Arafat, Haidar Abdul Shafi, Marwan Barghouti, Mustapha Barghouti, Hanan Ashrawi, and Yasir Abed Rabo. I've been in the same room with Jibril Rajoub, but having read testimonies of his tortured victims, I found myslf unable to actually shake his hand. Of all these people, Abdul Shafi was by far the most impressive in person. He is missed.

Charles Lenchner
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