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Abu Mazen Plays Neutral On West Bank Protests

The Palestinian Authority has publicly supported the West Bank protests, but is keen to avoid spoiling US President Barack Obama's visit in March, writes Daoud Kuttab.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas attends a Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) executive committee meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah January 29, 2013. REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman (WEST BANK - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR3D4HR

One of the biggest questions being raised these days is whether the Ramallah-based Palestinian leadership favors the escalation of Palestinian protests. For the past few weeks, Palestinian anger has been publicly displayed in various forms, most prominently in street protests that have raised speculation that a third intifada could be around the corner.

Protests have escalated largely in parallel to and in support of the hunger strikes, including the months-long fast by Samer Issawi and other prisoners. These protests received a boost of sorts when Israeli prison officials revealed that a 30-year-old detainee in their care, Arafat Jaradat, died last Saturday, Feb. 23. Initial Israeli claims that his death was due to an unexpected heart attack were never accepted by Palestinians, who were certain, due to previous experience, that his death was the result of torture. An autopsy attended by a Palestinian doctor appears to have confirmed the Palestinian narrative.

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