Palestinian Authority Crackdown on Opposition Continues Despite Domestic, International Criticism
Many recent arrests have taken place during celebrations for Hamas members released from Israeli prisons
The Palestinian Authority continues to suppress its opposition and critics; the latest episode is the death of Amir Issa Ledawi after an incident in a refugee camp in Jericho. A relative told The Media Line that Ledawi died of his injuries on Tuesday after his car overturned while being chased by members of the PA’s Preventive Security Service following a gathering celebrating the release of a Hamas member from an Israeli prison.
“He was killed because of raising a flag, can you believe it? They are afraid now of the flags,” the relative said of Ledawi. His father said he holds PA President Mahmoud Abbas and the Preventive Security Service responsible for killing his son.
Many recent arrests have taken place during prisoner release celebrations, where Hamas’ green flags are flying. In several incidents, security forces used violence to disperse crowds and fired tear gas at them.
“This is all because of the internal political division which is taking place under occupation. No one deserves to die because someone is bothered by a flag,” Ledawi ‘s friend Mohammad told The Media Line.
The head of the Palestinian Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR), Ammar Al-Dwaik, issued a statement calling on the interior minister to launch an investigation into the circumstances of the young man’s death.
PA Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh also is in charge of the Interior Ministry.
This is all because of the internal political division which is taking place under occupation
The PA crackdown on dissidents is not new, and it continues despite international outcry.
In Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem, clashes erupted in early December between young men and security services, with the police making several arrets. Two young men were able to escape and fled to Israel, where they were later apprehended by the Israeli army and handed over to the Palestinian police.
“This is the essence of the sacred security coordination that the PA and Fatah are proud of and insist on cooperating with the occupation on,” Adel Azzah, a resident of the camp, told The Media Line.
“We are beyond angry with the PA and Abbas; he should listen to us more if he really cares,” Azzah added.
The same scenario was repeated in the funeral procession for a Palestinian man who was killed last week by Israeli army fire in Nablus, as PA security forces dispersed the crowd by firing bullets and tear gas.
Nablus Governor Ibrahim Ramadan said that the security forces were targeting those who fired in the air.
Palestinian human rights organizations have expressed their concern over the continuing cases of repression by the PA.
The PA has been accused of arresting dozens of journalists, activists and Hamas members or sympathizers out of fear that they are plotting to destabilize areas under its control in the West Bank.
More than two thirds of the West Bank is under Israeli military control, in what is known as area C.
“Repressive PA practices undermine the struggle for our Palestinian rights,” political and social activist Issa Amro told The Media Line. He says that the death of Ladawi is a “disgrace to those who caused the accident, and if the perpetrators are not held accountable, the killers will continue in their tyranny.” Amro added that “it seems that the Preventive Security Service did not learn from the lesson of the killing of the late Nizar Banat.”
Since the killing of Banat last June at the hand of PA security officers, the West Bank has witnessed dozens of demonstrations calling on Mahmoud Abbas to leave.
The Palestinian Authority has faced harsh criticism from the Europe and the US for its widespread corruption, and the suspension of both parliamentary and presidential elections.
Last summer, the PA faced an enormous public backlash for the murder of the outspoken activist Banat. Some progressive Democrats in the United States, known for their criticism of Israel, shifted the blame to the Palestinian Authority amid the recent crackdown by its security forces on rights activists and critics.
This infuriated senior Palestinian Authority officials, who are very sensitive to the way the United States views them.
“The US and EU should reevaluate their engagement with the Palestinian Authority, including Palestinian security forces, in a way that supports and advances the realization of the fundamental rights of Palestinians,” Amro said.
