Video: Palestinian protesters chase US diplomats out of Bethlehem meeting

Tamara Nassar- 31 January 2018

This video shows Palestinian activists disrupting a meeting with a US diplomatic delegation at the chamber of commerce in the occupied West Bank city of Bethlehem on Tuesday, forcing the Americans to leave.

The protesters carried banners and pictures of President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, and chanted “America out.”

Activists told the online publication Quds that they were protesting Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

“The message we’re sending the delegation is that we reject the blatant American bias towards the Israeli occupation,” a protester said.

After the delegation left, protesters followed it out, throwing eggs, shoes and tomatoes at its cars, while the Palestinian Authority police tried to stop them.

Protesters arrested

Local media reported that PA intelligence was arresting activists who took part in the protest.

They arrested Muhammad al-Habshi from Aida refugee camp near Bethlehem and issued warrants for several others.

Despite his own blistering criticisms of the US and declaration it could no longer play a mediating role, Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas condemned the protest, his office saying in a statement that “we affirm our absolute rejection of such behavior which contravenes Palestinian ethics.”

شبكة قدس الإخبارية

✔@qudsn

الرئاسة الفلسطينية: "ندين الاعتداء الذي تعرضت له بعثة القنصلية الامريكية في مدينة بيت لحم اليوم، ونؤكد رفضنا المطلق لمثل هذ التصرفات الخارجة عن الأخلاق الفلسطينية".

12:05 PM - Jan 30, 2018

The US State Department also condemned the protest, claiming that “though no one was hurt, the objective was clearly intimidation.”

Farid al-Atrash, a lawyer with the Palestinian Independent Commission for Human Rights, called the arrests by the PA a “violation of freedom of expression and political opinion.”

He added that preparations were taking place at the Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethelehm to protest the arrests by the PA.