Interview: Daoud Kuttab

Daoud Kuttab is an experienced print and television journalist based in Jerusalem. He is currently co-director of Internews Middle East (IME) where he oversees the Arabic Media Internet Network (AMIN), an organization established by IME that supports the emergence of a civil society and democratic values in the region. AMIN provides Arabic-language services to media organizations in the Middle East through its website at http://www.amin.org. Mr. Kuttab is also the director of the Institute of Modern Media at Al Quds University. He writes a regular column that appears simultaneously in The Jordan Times, The Beirut Times as well as in The Jerusalem Post, and frequently contributes op-ed articles to The New York Times, The Washington Post, International Herald Tribune, and other newspapers.

Mr. Kuttab’s previous experience includes stints as a reporter and editor for Al-Fajr, an English-language Palestinian weekly newspaper; reporter and columnist for Al Quds newspaper; and television producer for numerous documentaries and programs. In the interview below, he provides his views on the role of media in the Middle East and its potential for peace building.

How does the media affect Arab-Israeli relations? Do you believe that it shapes perceptions or reflects realities?

It is important to understand that people in each society watch, listen to, and read their own media. So the key is to try and somehow infiltrate the other media with the right messages. That is the only way to be effective in reshaping perceptions. Therefore, the media is very powerful in shaping the opinions of each side and this affects the larger picture.

What role do you believe media can play in conflict resolution and peace building in the Middle East?

Media can inform the people (a lot more work is needed to target the news and feature reporting), reverse stereotypes (we have to work on dramas and other such programs), and encourage positive action. But media by itself will have little effect unless it works in a positive political atmosphere.

What is the impact of the Internet and satellite television in the Middle East and how can these new technologies be used to encourage peace-building efforts in the region?

The Internet and satellite TV can insure fast movement of information. This can have a positive or negative effect depending on how it is used and by whom. These new mediums are the best hope for more democracy in the Arab world, which hopefully will contribute to better understanding of the need for peace and the opposition to war, although this is not a guarantee.

Several years ago, you worked on an Israeli-Palestinian version of the children’s show Sesame Street. What did that experience teach you about shaping the perspectives of the region’s youth?

We learned a lot about what opportunities we have in shaping the young people and preparing them to be part of a culture of peace and mutual respect. The project allowed us to be proud of our own identity as Palestinians while at the same time reaching out to the Israeli children. It was not as effective as it could have been because of the deterioration of the peace process (the program preparations started when Rabin was assassinated).

You are the director of the Institute of Modern Media at Al Quds University. What is it and what are some of the goals you have sought to achieve there?

The Institute is an organization trying to train Palestinians in the modern media, encourage transfer of technology, and raise awareness in Palestinian society as to the role of the media. The Institute also owns an educational television station, Al Quds Educational Television, which is active in raising social awareness.

The Institute played a key role in the production of the Palestinian-American-Israeli version of Sesame Street, which dealt with the issues of tolerance and mutual respect. The Institute is active in a number of Palestinian-Israeli media projects including a project with Danish support that also includes Jordan TV.

Are you currently working on or planning other peace-building projects?

We, along with the Cinemateque of Tel Aviv, are planning an international human rights film festival that will open in Tel Aviv and close in Ramallah in February 2000. We are also cooperating with the University of the Negev’s media school as well as with the Tel Aviv University Film School. In addition, we are involved in a number of international media efforts that have an Israeli component as well.

You are one of the only Arab journalists writing for an Israeli newspaper (The Jerusalem Post). What has been the impact of this direct communication with the Israeli public?

I write for an English language newspaper so that limits my impact somewhat. With some exceptions, the response has not been very encouraging (probably because of the nature of the readers of the Post), but it has allowed me to convey a different method of reaching out to Israelis. My emphasis has been on day-to-day issues of life in Palestine. That has caused many angry responses, but I think it has also caused many to think of the human cost of occupation.

Many refer to the gap between having a peace agreement and having real, shared peace between peoples. In your opinion, what needs to take place for true peace to exist in the Middle East? How can non-governmental organizations contribute to achieving such a peace?

I think we have to remember that we need both sides to move ahead. Without real political peace, the NGOs work is worthless, and without the work of NGOs, the peace of the politicians will not be nourished. We should be careful about expecting too much from non-governmental organizations, on the one hand, and paying no attention to them on the other extreme. I think the media, television, and films have not been taken advantage of enough yet. Much more can be done in this regard.

What is your vision for the future of the Middle East? What role can media play in shaping it?

My vision of the Middle East is that of an open region in which ideas can flourish and people can move freely.

I think the media must be monitored, media owners must be pressed to change and not to depend only on sensational reporting. I also think people in the arts have a lot of responsibility in shaping opinions.