Amnesty International (AI), long considered to be severely biased against Israel, is starting to understand that Palestinians can oppress Palestinians. We might say that they almost get it:
The 57-page report, Occupied Palestinian Territories: Torn apart by factional strife, accuses Hamas of resorting increasingly to arbitrary detentions and torture since it took power last June in the Gaza Strip, and of allowing its forces to attack and assault peaceful demonstrators as well as journalists reporting on their protests. In the West Bank, the report blames security forces loyal to Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas of arbitrarily detaining hundreds of Hamas supporters but of failing to take action against Fatah militants responsible for abductions, arson and other attacks. — AI press release
Hmm, I could have written that, except that I would have used the word ‘terrorists’. But it’s not bad. On the other hand, they continue as follows:
Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International’s Middle East Programme Director [said] “The ongoing factional struggle between Fatah and Hamas is having a dire effect on the lives of Palestinians, especially in the Gaza Strip, compounding and exacerbating the human rights and humanitarian crisis caused by Israeli military campaigns and blockades.” [my emphasis]
So it’s as if Israel is the cause of the problem, and Hamas/Fatah are merely guilty of making it worse! Not so smart, Smart. You are missing the point that the Palestinians have always had the option of stopping terrorist activities (as I write, missiles are falling on Sderot) and thereby putting an end to Israeli actions in self-defense.
And the outrage seems to be primarily generated when Palestinians are the victims of violence. Search the AI database for reports on the Israel and the territories, and you will find some critical of the Palestinians for their behavior towards one another, or for such things as the Alan Johnston kidnapping. You will find literally hundreds critical of Israel in the harshest possible terms (I did find one which evenhandedly criticized Israel and Hamas for civilian casualties in Gaza and Sderot, and one which criticized Hizbullah for the rocket barrage of 2006).
I’ll take AI more seriously when they recognize the long-term Arab project to destroy Israel as a human rights problem.
Technorati Tags: Amnesty International, Palestinians, Israel