Posted on 07/24/2006 1:50:26 PM PDT by Alouette
Palestinians are calling for a general strike in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to protest US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to the region scheduled for later this week, accusing Washington of backing Israel's military campaigns against Hamas and Hizbullah.
Leaflets distributed in the West Bank and Gaza by representatives of several Palestinian factions called for a "day of rage" [a euphemism for violent protests] against Rice's visit. The groups also called on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to refrain from meeting with Rice.
"We reject Rice's visit to the Middle East and we will expose its real goals," read the leaflets, signed by the National and Islamic Forces in Palestine. "This visit comes in the wake of Israel's US-backed comprehensive aggression against the Palestinians and Lebanese."
The factions accused Israel of waging a war of "genocide" against the Palestinians and Lebanese after receiving a green light from the US administration. They also strongly condemned the US for vetoing a United Nations Security Council resolution that would have condemned Israel for its offensive operations in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.
The Popular Resistance Committees, an alliance of armed organizations, including Hamas and Fatah, called on Abbas to boycott Rice, saying she was planning to hold separate talks about the situations in Lebanon and in the Palestinian territories.
In a statement issued in the Gaza Strip, the committees claimed that Rice was "plotting" behind the scenes "to isolate Lebanon from Palestine."
The US, the statement continued, wanted to calm the situation in the PA territories to give Israel time to crush Hizbullah.
"We call on President Mahmoud Abbas to respect the feelings of the Palestinian people and to refrain from meeting with Rice and succumbing to her arrogant dictates that will only bring our people more humiliation and suffering," the committees said.
Osama al-Mazini, a Hamas political leader, said Rice's visit was designed to help Israel following its "defeat" in the PA territories and Lebanon.
"The Americans are 120 percent biased in favor of Israel," he said. "That's why Rice is coming to save Israel from defeat and humiliation. The US always intervenes when Israel is in trouble."
Islamic Jihad leader Khaled al-Batsh said the main purpose behind Rice's visit was to ensure the continued support of certain Arab governments for the US. "She's also coming here to provide Israel with political and moral support after the severe blows it suffered at the hands of Hizbullah in Lebanon," he said.
Palestinian political analysts and commentators also lashed out at the US for supporting Israel.
Columnist Imad Afaneh said the US was hoping to punish Syria and Iran through the IDF offensive in Lebanon.
"The Americans want to teach Iran and Syria a lesson for using Hizbullah to undermine US influence in the Middle East," he said. "The Americans and the Israelis are also hoping to defeat the Palestinians by waging a war on Hizbullah in Lebanon.
"The Americans want a new Middle East devoid of jihad, resistance, liberation, martyrdom, retaliation and dignity. These are all terms that disturb the Americans.
"They want to see a Middle East full of Arab presidents, monarchs and princes who serve as slaves for their American masters," Afaneh said.
Abdel Bari Atwan, editor-in-chief of the London-based Al-Quds daily, said Rice wanted a new Middle East without Hamas and Hizbullah, where the Arabs would normalize their relations with Israel and form a joint front against Iran.
"The Americans' problem is that they have never learned from their past mistakes," he said. "They are continuing to rely on the same corrupt and weak horses in the Middle East."
Warning! This is a high-volume ping list.
There is only one way to deal with these people and it isn't by talking to them.
But I thought in Pali-land, every day was a day of rage.
Every once in a while it is interrupted by a "day of helpless victimhood" whenever the BBC and Reuters are in town.
the palies (small p used to denote disrespect)find any reason not to work and build their own society. Truely civilizations boat anchor.
They take a break from the war with Israel to stage "violent protests"? Only the MSM would find this credible.
LOL!! I like them better as victims.
Only when a camera is rolling. Actually, they seem to take time off at the end of the school year for relatively peaceful kindergarten plays and the like, complete with mock suicide bomb belts and readings to the audience about Jews trapping Palestinian kids to use their blood for Matzoh. You think I'm kidding?
High volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel. also
2006israelwar or WOT
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I know all too well you are not kidding. FWIW I was raised in Northern Quebec where the locals pretty much felt the same way. Not a stretch in my experience.
We've got to be doing something right if the PLA is p*ssed.
Our oil ties to the Palestinians are being cut and the gasoline truck will be sent back to iraq.
My G*d bless you for using a public domain site for that picture! I was morally able, therefore, to copy it to my geocities site. Hallelujah!
If something horrible happened to Condi during today's visit, would Jackson and Sharpton be outraged? Would they stand outside the embassy and demand action?
OH, so I guess the Palis and other Arab nere-do-wells don't want the ceasefire the MSM and Eurodroolers have told us they want. Okay fine. Condi, come on home. Your efforts apparently aren't needed. The IDF can take it from here.
Good excuse to bring Rice home..............George to the Arab world: "sorry we tried.........you can make your own peace....or better yet, let the Israelis do it for you."
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