Palestinian activists said over the weekend that they would hold demonstrations
in protest against US President Barack Obama’s planned visit to the West Bank
later this month.
A group called “Palestinian For Dignity” called for
“huge demonstrations” against Obama and US policies “supportive of the
occupation.”
The group said that Obama was “persona non grata in
Palestine” because of US military, financial and diplomatic aid for
Israel.
“We call upon our people to demonstrate against receiving he who
considers himself Israel’s No. 1 ally,” the group said in a statement. “We also
call for demonstrations against the idea of returning to the negotiations [with
Israel.”
The group said that Obama’s planned visit to Ramallah “comes at
a time when our prisoners are on hunger strike and weeks after the death of
prisoner Arafat Jaradat in interrogation cells.”
The group said that it
was naive to think that US policy toward Israel has changed during Obama’s
term.
It also reminded Palestinians that the US had voted against the PA
request for upgrading the Palestinians’ status to nonmember observer at the UN
in November last year.
In a related development, Hamas and Islamic Jihad
called on Palestinians to prevent Obama from visiting the Aksa Mosque in
Jerusalem.
The two groups said they were opposed to Obama’s visits,
especially if he is accompanied by Israeli security officials.