Palestinian activists: Obama non grata in Palestine

Group called "Palestinian For Dignity" plan demonstrations in protest of Obama's planned visit to the West Bank.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
Obama and Airforce One 521 (photo credit: JASON REED / REUTERS)
Obama and Airforce One 521
(photo credit: JASON REED / REUTERS)
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.