The Palestinian Authority is imprisoning Gazans

[oberliner]

Lies and power go hand in hand. But what is considered outrageous in a sovereign state is catastrophic for a society fighting for its freedom. The Palestinians have two sets of leadership under occupation competing for the dubious title of "government" - and both are generating lies to perpetuate their status. The Hamas government, which won the majority of the vote in democratic Palestinian legislative elections, is not recognized by most countries. Yet these countries warmly accept the Palestinian Authority government, which was appointed by the president and leader of the party that lost the election, Fatah.

This is the government that has explained its decision to postpone the municipal and local elections, originally scheduled for July 17 this year, by its desire to prevent the political rift between the West Bank and Gaza from widening. Parallel elections would not have been possible in the Gaza Strip because of the split between the parties and clashes over authority and legitimacy.

It is possible to argue over the logic of the initial stubbornness to hold elections that would have fortified the double-rule reality (one political experience in Gaza, and a different one in the West Bank ). This is why, indeed, independent circles in Gaza welcomed the decision to postpone. But everyone knows the real reason behind the postponement was internal disputes within Fatah, as well as a possible fear that competing slates would succeed - despite the fact that Hamas announced it would boycott the elections.

The same government that includes a call to end the blockade on Gaza in every one of its statements, in practice aids in imprisoning the Gazans by preventing many of them from holding valid Palestinian passports. Not only does the Fatah government refuse to send blank passports to Gaza to be filled out, thus forcing Gazans to use the services of special go-between agencies which send the applications to Ramallah, but its general intelligence service even intervenes - as has been revealed lately - and in many cases vetoes passports for Gaza residents.

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/the-palestinian-authority-is-imprisoning-gazans-1.304481

[davidinalameda]

1. do the Jews run the PA?

:shrug:

[ProgressiveProfessor]

2. Hamas seems to think so

I want to recall Hamas also shooting members of their opposition during OCL

[davidinalameda]

3. I remember that too

[azurnoir]

4. despite the misleading title this seems a lose-lose for the PA

from Maan

The Palestinian Center for Human rights denounced Tuesday what it described as a policy of discrimination by the Palestinian Authority's Interior Ministry in the issuance of passports to Gaza residents.

A statement said the center approached the Interior Ministry in Ramallah with a list of seven Palestinians who said their application had been rejected because of their political affiliation to Hamas.

<snip>

A center coordinator received a power of attorney from the Gaza residents concerned and applied in their steed, of which five were rejected without specified reasons, other than "they are not committed to legitimacy," the statement read.

According to the center, one of the rejected applicants undergoes dialysis twice a week for kidney failure and was issued with a medical referral from the Gaza Ministry of Health to to undergo kidney transplantation surgery in Egypt.

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=302975

If the PA acted differently the outage du jour IMO would be the PA is supporting Hamas

[oberliner]

5. Misleading title?

Did you read the article?

The author writes:

The same government that includes a call to end the blockade on Gaza in every one of its statements, in practice aids in imprisoning the Gazans by preventing many of them from holding valid Palestinian passports. Not only does the Fatah government refuse to send blank passports to Gaza to be filled out, thus forcing Gazans to use the services of special go-between agencies which send the applications to Ramallah, but its general intelligence service even intervenes - as has been revealed lately - and in many cases vetoes passports for Gaza residents.

Now, with Egypt easing the restrictions on entry through its border with Gaza, this arbitrary cruelty has become even more pronounced. The feeling of imprisonment, and the lies accompanying it, generates bitterness toward the government in Ramallah - even among those who are not Hamas supporters.

<end of excerpt>

It seems that the title accurately reflects the sentiments of the author of the piece (Amira Hass).

[azurnoir]

6. Yes quite misleading

the first logical impression is that the PA is doing this on the West Bank and if Egypt is actually requiring passports which article implies but goes not say then the de-facto government in Gaza should supply their own

that Amira Hass wrote this really does not impress me

[oberliner]

7. Why would that be the first logical impression?

A title is mean to reflect the content of the article.

If you read the article, you will see that the title does just that.

[azurnoir]

8. the PA is "imprisioning Gazans" in Gaza? that is a self serving

interpretation and I would wonder if and why Ms Hass would chose such a title

[shira]

9. Abbas last month reportedly said he was against lifting the blockade

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/abbas-to-obama-i-m-against-lifting-the-gaza-naval-blockade-1.295771

So in addition to not granting passports, do you think it's fair to argue Abbas is for the imprisonment of Gazans and that you're just as "outraged" at the PA as Israel? :)

[azurnoir]

10. Debunked the next day

PA Denies Report On Abbas' Call For The Continuation Of Gaza's Blockade

Palestinian Presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudaineh rebuffed an Israeli media report Sunday alleging President Mahmoud Abbas called for the continuation of Gaza's blockade during a recent meeting with his US counterpart.

"President Abbas had raised the issue of the necessity of lifting the blockade as a matter on a par with the fate of the peace process," Abu Rudaineh told the Palestinian Authority-run WAFA news agency.

Israel's siege on the Gaza Strip is being discussed with Arab and international leaders, the spokesman said, urging the international community to "take advantage of the current atmosphere" following an Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound aid fleet to lift the blockade "which will end suffering and create a good chance for reviving the peace process."

http://dp-news.com/pages/detail.aspx?l=2&articleId=41869

[shira]

11. You're pretty quick to take the PA or Hamas' word on things that don't fit the AIB narrative

http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100615/FOREIGN/706149828/1002

....The Haaretz newspaper report, however, only cited unnamed European officials who had reportedly been briefed by White House officials, and Palestinian officials around Mr Abbas were quick to label the article part of an Israeli “disinformation” campaign.

“The report is yet another disinformation attempt aimed at distorting facts and deflecting Israel’s responsibility to end the illegal and inhuman siege on Gaza,” Saeb Erekat, the PLO’s chief negotiator, said in a statement released Sunday.

“President Abbas had raised the issue of the necessity of lifting the blockade as a matter on a par with the fate of the peace process,” Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a senior aide to Mr Abbas, told the Palestinian Authority-run WAFA news agency.

Nevertheless, some did take the report seriously. Oraib Rantawi, a Jordanian columnist, wrote yesterday that, “we now have the very odd situation whereby most of the world believes that the siege on Gaza is ‘unsustainable’, except the Palestinian Authority and the Egyptian government”.


The latter was mentioned in the Haaretz report as being supportive of Mr Abbas’s position.

Hamas officials said the report did not come as a surprise. Mahmoud Ramahi, a Hamas legislator from the West Bank, said he did not know if the report was accurate, but said the PA and Mr Abbas had proven over time that they are “participating” in the blockade.

“Amr Musa had to ask permission from Mr Abbas to come to Gaza. This shows that the PA is participating in the siege because it doesn’t want the world to deal with the government there and grant legitimacy to Hamas.”

Mahmoud Zahar, a senior Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, meanwhile said the report only underlined “what we have been saying all along: Abbas and Ramallah are part of the siege.”

There's no question Abbas and the PA are for the siege. Fatah and Hamas hate each other and Hamas in Gaza is a threat to Fatah power.

Fatah was also rooting for Israel during OCL.

[azurnoir]

13. why is it you must resort to disinformation so frequently?

is your own case whatever that is, really so weak?

[shira]

15. Disinformation? Are you serious? Be specific, what exactly is the disinformation here?

You realize that if it were Israel denying something, you wouldn't give it any credence whatsoever. The PA or Hamas denies something and you buy it without question, like in this example.

You trust the PA and Hamas more than Israel? :shrug:

[azurnoir]

17. Depends what Israel was denying

but Israel seems more into accusing these days

[delad]

12. edited

[azurnoir]

14. same story from Maan

PA denies report Abbas maintaining Gaza siege

The Palestinian Authority denied Israeli media reports on Sunday that President Mahmoud Abbas asked his US counterpart for a continuation of Gaza's blockade, presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudaineh told reporters on Sunday.

"President Abbas had raised the issue of the necessity of lifting the blockade as a matter on a par with the fate of the peace process," Abu Rudaineh told the Palestinian Authority-run WAFA news agency about a Wednesday meeting between the two heads of state, where the request was allegedly made.

Israel's siege on the Gaza Strip has been brought up for discussion with Arab and international leaders, the spokesman said, urging the international community to "take advantage of the current atmosphere" following an Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound aid fleet that left nine humanitarians dead, "which will end suffering and create a good chance for reviving the peace process."

'Another attempt to distort facts'

Chief PLO negotiator Saeb Erekat, who accompanied Abbas on his US visit, further denounced the report that the Palestinian leader had requested a continuation of the blockade. On Sunday, he said the accusation was "yet another disinformation attempt aimed at distorting facts and deflecting Israel’s responsibility to end the illegal and inhuman siege on Gaza," a statement read.

“President Abbas has been demanding complete and unconditional lifting of Israel’s illegal siege over Gaza, which he reiterated during his recent meetings with World leaders.”

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=291696

[shira]

16. Well, that's what they say publicly. Anyone in the know realizes Fatah and Hamas hate each other...

...and in no way does Fatah wish for Hamas to become the legitimate, unchallenged rulers of Gaza on equal footing with them.

Fatah rooted against Hamas during OCL (this is no secret BTW as they want total control of both the W.Bank and Gaza, just as Hamas wants both) and Fatah is of course all for weakening Hamas via the siege, for the same reason.

Are you really unaware of this? :shrug:

[azurnoir]

18. Lol what has that to do with OP except to distract?

fatah did not openly root against Hamas or for Israel during OCL they said nothing and it cost them, it is not a mistake they will make again soon

[shira]

19. The point is Fatah is for the siege, they're denying passports and therefore....

....they're imprisoning Gazans.

[azurnoir]

20. That's quite a stretch to say the least n/t