Palestinian protesters in Ramallah, protesting against the resumption of peace talks between the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) and Israel, were beaten up by Palestinian Authority police, and 5 arrested, states Human Rights Watch. In a statement, HRW condemned the police violence which left 10 protesters injured.
Tom Porteous, deputy program director at HRW said,
Tom Porteous, deputy program director at HRW said,
The police beat protesters and then arrested injured people, some even from the hospital
The Palestinian Authority needs to make clear to the police that this is no way to handle a demonstration.
| Video of protest and police response |
The protests were organised by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). In a statement following the protests and police clamp down, the PFLP said,
“The PA decision – the individual act of President Mahmoud Abbas – was contrary to the decisions of Palestinian national institutions, including the PLO Central Council – and reflects a culture of recklessness, irresponsibility, lack of accountability, and disregard for the law and the national traditions of our people.”