Director. PalThink for Strategic Studies, Palestine.Omar Shaban is an analyst on political economy of the Middle East and the founder of PalThink for Strategic Studies. He was a candidate for the 1st Palestinian parliamentary elections in 1996. He is independent from any political affiliation. Omar regularly writes for various international magazines and has been interviewed by many well-known international newspapers. He occasionally participates in conferences on political and economic issues, and Palestinian affairs such as the reconstruction of Gaza, the reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the Euro-Med cooperation. Omar Shaban holds a BA in economy from Egypt (1984), and a MSc. Degree in Entrepreneurial Studies, Stirling University, Scotland (1995).