THOUSANDS RALLIED across the West Bank yesterday in support of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas’s bid for international recognition of a Palestinian state within the ceasefire lines of 1967 and full UN membership.
In Ramallah, the centre of town was sealed off by uniformed police as a crowd of 10,000 began to gather in Arafat Square to celebrate the appeal with speeches, music and dancing. Men, women and children, some dressed in holiday finery, trickled into the city centre to window-shop and meet friends ahead of the ceremonies.
Strings of small Palestinian flags had been laced across the streets and two-storey long banners hung from tall buildings. Looming over the stage set up for speakers was a sign proclaiming “Palestine’s Right to Membership in the UN.” Another bore the words “UN 194”, calling for Palestine to be the 194th member of the world body.
The Palestinian Authority had given civil servants, schools, and universities a break to attend the carefully choreographed event. A friend quipped: “All the usual suspects attended . . . Fatah and government supporters.”
Many came because they were obliged to do so but many also attended because they genuinely support Mr Abbas’s UN bid for statehood. A poll conducted last week showed that 83 per cent of Palestinians approve the effort even though 78 per cent say they believe Israel will punish them for the initiative.
Youths came armed with flags, half listened to the speeches, sang national songs and leapt, circled and stamped their feet in the dabka, a folk dance popular in the Arab world. Arafat Square, named after late president Yasser Arafat, was packed. This was the largest public demonstration in Ramallah – the administrative capital of the West Bank Palestinian enclaves – since Arafat died in 2005. He was not forgotten, many recalled his address at the 1974 General Assembly when he brandished an olive branch in one hand and a pistol case in the other and called upon the international community not to allow the olive branch fall from his hand.
The crowd overflowed into nearby Manara Square where boys sat on the heads of four stone lions positioned on the roundabout. At a jewellery shop on a connecting street, Salem Muhammad (32), a graduate of Birzeit University, dismissed the UN campaign.
“I don’t think it will make any difference.” Even if Mr Abbas is successful in gaining recognition, Mr Muhammad said, “It doesn’t matter what the UN thinks, Israel will do what it wants. Abbas is trying to get us UN membership but the West and the US don’t want us to have a country . . . there is a hidden conspiracy against the Palestinians. Israel is not the real problem, the US and the West are the problem.”
Nevertheless, he asserted, “I will stay sumud [steadfast].”
In Nablus in the north, thousands rallied. In Jericho in the east, 300 turned up in the town’s scruffy central square.
Bethlehem’s Manger Square in front of the Church of the Nativity where, according to tradition Jesus was born, hosted a gathering of 3,000.
The largest demonstration was in Hebron where Palestinian youths clashed with Israeli troops guarding the homes of several hundred militant Israeli settlers planted among 20,000 Palestinians in the city centre.
Qalandia, the main crossing between Jerusalem and Ramallah, closed after stone-throwing Palestinian boys skirmished with Israeli troops who used percussion grenades and tear gas to disperse them.
The Palestinian Authority deployed 8,000 police within the Palestinian enclaves to contain demonstrators and prevent contact with Israeli soldiers and settlers.
Government spokesman Ghassan Khatib told The Irish Timesthat there was concern that "settlers intent on provoking Palestinians would restart the cycle of violence" which once governed relations between Palestinians and Israelis. He said: "Settlers entered Ramallah [on Tuesday] night but were forced to pull out by the Israeli troops who let them enter."
Dr Khatib predicted Mr Abbas would go ahead tomorrow with his UN appeal. The US envoys who attempted to dissuade him “offered nothing but threats”.