Disappointment, anger toward Obama in Ramallah

Demonstrators called for rage day tomorrow in Arabic streets to support Palestinian bid for statehood and to send a strong message of Arabic unity.

By NIDA TUMA
Rally in Ramallah 311 R (photo credit: REUTERS)
Rally in Ramallah 311 R
(photo credit: REUTERS)
RAMALLAH - A few hundred Palestinians participated in a demonstration on Thursday to voice their opposition to US President Barak Obama’s speech at the UN on Wednesday.
The 16-year-old Salem Mansour told The Jerusalem Post, “It is shameful... if the Israeli minister of defense was delivering a speech, he would have not been that Zionist.”
The student was holding a sign that translates to “it is disgraceful to claim support for democracy and to support the racist occupation.”
Protesters were out in full force in the West Bank cities of Jericho and Nablus.
Not far from the Kalandia checkpoint, around 50 high-school-age students marched out of their public boys school.
Some chanted slogans calling for the end of occupation while others were happy that they actually closed the main street for a while. Carrying small and large Palestinian flags, they joined the main demonstration in the city center.
All public workers’ unions organized the demonstration in Ramallah. Officials and students answered the call as well as political activists and civil servants.
Medical workers union chief Osama Najjar described Obama’s speech as a dishonorable one, asking how the Palestinians could still trust Obama and the US as a patron for the peace process after such a speech.
“We came here to express the anger of all Palestinians,” Najjar added.
The Palestinian minister of education and higher education Lamis Al-Alami told a Post reporter that her ministry respects the students’ right to join the general feeling.
“Students are more emotional than the rest of the people, so they were angry and disappointed with the speech as well,” she added.
Al-Alami said Palestinians were shocked and disappointed. The angry and enthused boys burnt a picture of Obama as well.
Demonstrators called for a rage day tomorrow in the Arabic streets to support the Palestinian bid for statehood and to send a strong message of Arabic unity.
College student Dana Zake expressed her frustration, saying “how can the United States call for democracy in the Arab world, and still denounce the right of Palestinians to have a state of their own?” she asked.
The 20-year-old said that the Americans are blinded by their biased support of Israel and they back the Israelis even in their “injustice.”
The reactions to the speech showed up on Facebook pages as well. One Facebook posting wished that Obama would not get a permit or a magnetic card from the IDF – which is required for entering Israel. They also hoped that the US President would have to be stuck for two hours at the Kalandia checkpoint only to discover that he forgot to bring his identification card.
Demonstrations are expected on Friday as well after the Palestinian president delivers his speech at the UN where he is expected to submit a statehood application.