The city of Ramallah is the provisional capital of the Palestinian state. It is located in the West Bank region designated as Area A.
Supposedly, Area A is under the autonomous control of the Palestinian Authority. Israeli propaganda says that the people living in this area have complete autonomy without the interference of Israeli forces.
Zionist literature, included ALL of the Christian Zionist work that I am reading these days, label Palestinian protesters against Israel as unappreciative, recalcitrant dead-enders who rebel simply because they hate Jews.
The proof, they say, is the supposed freedom and independence Palestinians have been granted by Israel throughout the West Bank in communities designated as part of Area A.
In other words, why else would Palestinians who have been granted their freedom continue to protest against good-natured Israel? Obviously, they must be ungrateful anti-Semites.
Below is a video of Israeli soldiers harassing and firing tear-gas at a non-violent march of Palestinians near the city of Ramallah in Area A.
Check it out:
This confrontation between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian civilians is something that politicians on a tour of Israel sponsored by AIPAC (the American Israel Public Affairs Committee) — such as the one recently boycotted by Reps. Omar and Tlaib — would never be allowed to see.
Forty-on Democrats and thirty-one Republicans participated in the most recent trip, sponsored annually by AIPAC.
Thankfully, the trip was boycotted by Reps. Omar and Tlaib because they know better. These women know the truth about Israel.
Israeli public relations people sponsor these tours in order to repeat their government propaganda:
“Nothing to see here in Area A. These people are autonomous and independent. They live in freedom. Disturbances are addressed by Palestinian police. Israeli soldiers are not allowed here.”
And this smiling gaggle of American doofuses, masquerading as
knowledgeable politicians, will then return home more ignorant and ill-informed about the plight of the Palestinian people than when they accepted a free trip to Israel from AIPAC.
And they will repeat these lies to their constituents, many of whom are misguided Christian Zionists, about Palestinian autonomy in the West Bank.
The fact is, there is no place in the West Bank, Gaza or the state of Israel where Palestinians are truly free. They do not enjoy civil rights or genuine equality anywhere that is controlled by the Israeli government.
As you watch the video notice that the only people carrying weapons are the Israeli soldiers. All of the Palestinians are unarmed. I have never seen any Palestinians carrying weapons at any of the protest marches I have attended in the West Bank.
I recognize one of the marchers as a friend of mine who is unwaverlingly committed to non-violence.
Some months ago he was released from an Israeli prison.
He had been arrested for the horrible crime of protesting the all-too common imprisonment of Palestinian children by the Israeli military. He dared to stand in public with a home-made sign objecting to the arrest of 17 year-old Ahed Tamimi for the dangerous act of slapping an Israeli soldier.
A soldier, by the way, who had just finished shooting one of her cousins in the head.
My friend’s arrest for protesting occurred in another section of Area A, where — the Israeli government assures us — the Palestinian people are free.
Thanks Dave