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Palestinian
Authority Human Rights Violations Ignored by Media, West
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Evidently, most Western governments, journalists and human rights
organizations have chosen to endorse the Palestinian Authority's stance that the
only evil-doers are the Israelis. And that is precisely why the ICHR report on
the anarchy, lawlessness and human rights violations by the Palestinian
Authority and Hamas will be completely ignored in the West.
A report
issued by the Palestinian Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) this
week criticized the Palestinian Authority [PA] and Hamas for assaults on human
rights and freedoms in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The report, which has been ignored by mainstream media and human rights
organizations in the West, reveals that 10 Palestinians died in January 2014 in
the West Bank and Gaza Strip as a result of anarchy, lawlessness and misuse of
weapons.
The report also lists cases of torture and mistreatment in PA and Hamas
prisons. ICHR pointed to an increase in the number of torture cases in prisons
belonging to the PA's much-feared Preventive Security Service in the West
Bank.
During January, ICHR wrote that it received 56 complaints about torture and
mistreatment in Palestinian prisons: 36 in the Gaza Strip and 19 in the West
Bank. In addition, the human rights organization received innumerable complaints
about arbitrary and unlawful arrests of Palestinians by the PA and Hamas.
A Palestinian Authority policeman attacks
protestors. (Image source: "Palestinians for Dignity" Facebook Page)
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ICHR wrote that it also received complaints from Palestinians who accused the
Palestinian Authority security forces in the West Bank of unlawfully seizing
their money.
The organization also received complaints about assaults on freedom of
expression and the media, as well as on peaceful protests and academic
freedoms.
Of the 10 Palestinians who died during January, the report found that half of
them died as a result of violent disputes between clans. One Palestinian was
killed while working in a smuggling tunnel along the border between the Gaza
Strip and Egypt. Three Palestinians died in what the organization describes as
cases of "security anarchy and misuse of weapons." In the Gaza Strip, the report
said, a 13-year-old girl named Wisam Ashour committed suicide by hanging herself
in her family home.
With regards to torture, the organization stated that it received complaints
from Palestinians who said they had been tortured while in detention in
Palestinian Authority and Hamas prisons.
ICHR related that it received 85 complaints during January concerning
unlawful and arbitrary arrests by the two Palestinian governments. Many
detainees said they were taken into custody for "politically-motivated"
offenses.
As for assaults on freedom of expression and peaceful protests, the human
rights organization pointed out that on January 12, 2014, PA policemen used
force to break up a protest by Palestinian youths north of Ramallah. Between
60-70 protesters, the report continued, were wounded in the head and legs after
policemen attacked them with clubs and stun grenades.
On January 28, 2014, Palestinian Authority policemen used live ammunition to
disperse stone-throwers in the center of Ramallah, according to the report. It
also stated that there was no reason for the use of live ammunition during the
incident. Four protesters were wounded, the report documented, when policemen
attacked them with clubs.
During the last week of January, the report noted, Hamas security forces
raided two university campuses in the Gaza Strip and used excessive force to
disperse student protests against high tuition.
In the West Bank, the Preventive Security Service summoned for interrogation
a number of students suspected of involvement in political activities, and, the
report revealed, a University in Jericho expelled a student on suspicion that
his brother and cousin belonged to Hamas.
Referring to anarchy and lawlessness in the West Bank, the human rights
organization pointed to an incident that took place near Hebron on January 18.
On that day, more than 100 men attacked the building of the Yatta Municipality,
using a bulldozer to force their way inside.
Mayor Musa Makhamarah said the assailants were relatives and friends of a
municipal council who had been dismissed from his job. The mayor complained that
although he had warned the Palestinian Authority police in advance about the
possibility of such an attack, no police reinforcements were dispatched to the
scene.
The report found that the Palestinian Authority was continuing to ignore
court rulings. The Preventive Security Service and the General Intelligence
Force regularly ignore orders issued by various courts to release Palestinian
detainees, it pointed out, listing seven cases that occurred last month.
Earlier last week, representatives of ICHR met with PA Interior Minister Said
Abu Ali and discussed with him cases of torture and human rights violations in
the West Bank. They also discussed the continued security crackdown on
Palestinian students at Bir Zeit University in the West Bank. Many students have
complained that they were being targeted for "political reasons" by various
branches of the Palestinian security establishment.
The report's findings once again show that neither the Palestinian Authority
nor Hamas respect human rights and freedom of expression in the territories
under their control.
That Hamas is responsible for human rights violations and assaults on freedom
of expression should not come as a surprise to anyone.
But what is surprising is that the Palestinian Authority leadership, which
often boasts that Palestinians living under its jurisdiction enjoy freedom of
expression and democracy, is continuing to lie not only to its constituents, but
also to the Western media and international donors about its human rights
record.
The PA has been successful in diverting attention from these problems by
putting all the blame on Israel. As far as the PA is concerned, Israel alone is
responsible for human rights violations and assaults on freedom of expression
and the media.
Evidently, most Western journalists, governments and human rights groups have
chosen to endorse the Palestinian Authority's stance that the only evil-doers
are the Israelis. And that is precisely why the ICHR report about the anarchy,
lawlessness and human rights violations by the PA and Hamas will be completely
ignored in the West.
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