Osama Abu-Irshaid
Osama Abu-Irshaid is the founder and editor in chief of Al-Meezan newspaper, an Arabic-language periodical published in the United States. He was formerly was editor of Al-Zaytounah, the biweekly Arabic-language newspaper published by the Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP), which was linked to the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF), which was shut down for funding Hamas. [1]
He was coauthor of a United States Institute of Peace study exploring possible cease-fire negotiation strategy for Hamas, and a unity government within the Palestinian Authority. [2] Due to his affiliation with IAP and HLF, his objectivity was questioned.[3] While abu-Irshaid may indeed have Hamas ties, other sources, such as Ismail Haniyeh, the former prime minister of the Palestinian Authority have suggested hudna might be a formula for a continuing ceasefire; Khaled Meshal also said it might be a basis for negotiating with the Obama administration [4] The Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University republished an article supporting the USIP study.[5]
He is completing a Ph.D. thesis on Hamas at Britain’s Loughborough University,
References
- ↑ Gretel C. Kovach (25 November 2008), "Five Convicted in Terrorism Financing Trial", New York Times
- ↑ Paul Scham and Osama Abu-Irshaid (June 2009), Hamas: Ideological Rigidity and Political Flexibility, United States Institute of Peace
- ↑ Steve Emerson (7 August 2009), U.S. Taxpayers Fund Pro-Hamas Propaganda, Family Security Matters
- ↑ Haaretz Editorial (12 November 2008), "Listen to Hamas", Haaretz
- ↑ Rami Khouri, Senior Fellow, The Dubai Initiative (24 August 2009), ""Talk to Hamas"", Op-Ed, Agence Global, reprinted by Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University