Two Authorities, One Way, Zero Dissent. Arrests and torture under P.A and Hamas

[Son of Jamin]

In the 25 years since Palestinians gained a degree of self-rule over the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, their authorities have established machineries of repression to crush dissent, including through the use of torture.

Both the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in Gaza have in recent years carried out scores of arbitrary arrests for peaceful criticism of the authorities, particularly on social media, among independent journalists, on university campuses, and at demonstrations. As the Fatah-Hamas feud deepened despite attempts at reconciliation, PA security services have targeted supporters of Hamas and vice versa. Relying primarily on overly broad laws that criminalize activity such as causing “sectarian strife” or insulting “higher authorities,” the PA and Hamas use detention to punish critics and deter them and others from further activism. In detention, security forces routinely taunt, threaten, beat, and force detainees into painful stress positions for hours at a time.

Arbitrary Arrests
The PA and Hamas have both clamped down on the major outlets for dissent available to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. Both authorities categorically deny carrying out arbitrary arrests, insisting they act in accordance with the law. However, Human Rights Watch’s documentation shows that they regularly detain critics without a reasonable basis to suspect they committed a cognizable offense and rely on dubious or broadly worded charges to justify detaining them and to pressure them to stop their activities. While the specifics differ between the West Bank and Gaza, the result in both places is shrinking space for free speech, association, and assembly.

Social Media
Palestinian authorities have carried out dozens of arrests for critical posts on social media platforms, which Palestinians increasingly rely on to share their views, connect with one another, and organize activities.

Demonstrations
Palestinians also have limited freedom to participate in anti-government political demonstrations in both the West Bank and Gaza.

On University Campuses
Palestinian authorities closely monitor criticism of the PA at universities. In January 2017, PA forces detained Fares Jbour, an electrical engineering student in Hebron, and questioned him about his participation in a book drive organized by the Hamas-affiliated Islamic Bloc on campus.

Torture and Abuse in Custody
Human Rights Watch’s investigation based on 147 interviews further indicates that the mistreatment and torture of those in Palestinian custody is routine, in particular in Hamas’ Internal Security custody in Gaza and in the PA’s Intelligence, Preventive Security, and Joint Security Committee detention facilities in Jericho. The habitual, deliberate, widely known use of torture, using similar tactics over years with no action taken by senior officials in either authority to stop these abuses, make these practices systematic. They also indicate that torture is governmental policy for both the PA and Hamas.

https://www.hrw.org/report/2018/10/...ro-dissent/arbitrary-arrest-and-torture-under

Summary:

Both the Palestinian Authorities and Hamas suppresses freedom of speech, freedom of movement, freedom of association. They also torture and arrest "dissidents".

 

[Son of Jamin]

HRW urges the International Criminal Court to open up an investigation for crimes against humanity in the Palestinian territories.

The countries that support and enable Hamas and the P.A are accessories of crime.

 

[JDragon]

It's good that we have a thread highlighting this. I am always highly critical of Israel, and I think they need to make concessions regarding the illegal settlements if they actually are interested in peace, but make no mistake: the other side is not better, not at all. Israel is a flawed democracy, but the Palestenian areas are ruled by authoritarian Islamists.

 

[m25105]

It's good that we have a thread highlighting this. I am always highly critical of Israel, and I think they need to make concessions regarding the illegal settlements if they actually are interested in peace, but make no mistake: the other side is not better, not at all. Israel is a flawed democracy, but the Palestenian areas are ruled by authoritarian Islamists.

Well to be fair to the Palestinians, if Israel had not always shat on them, they wouldn't have elected Hamas. They've made numerous attempts in the past to try to reach a deal. Either way, what Hamas is doing is atrocious and there is no justification for it. One can only hope it doesn't get any worse.

 

[JDragon]

Well to be fair to the Palestinians, if Israel had not always shat on them, they wouldn't have elected Hamas. They've made numerous attempts in the past to try to reach a deal. Either way, what Hamas is doing is atrocious and there is no justification for it. One can only hope it doesn't get any worse.

And Israel probably wouldn't have 'done that to them' if there had been no Intifadas and no wars in the 60s70s. Assigning blame on one party in this highly dialectical conflict is really a futile exercise.

 

[Son of Jamin]

It's good that we have a thread highlighting this. I am always highly critical of Israel, and I think they need to make concessions regarding the illegal settlements if they actually are interested in peace, but make no mistake: the other side is not better, not at all. Israel is a flawed democracy, but the Palestenian areas are ruled by authoritarian Islamists.

Well to be fair to the Palestinians, if Israel had not always shat on them, they wouldn't have elected Hamas. They've made numerous attempts in the past to try to reach a deal. Either way, what Hamas is doing is atrocious and there is no justification for it. One can only hope it doesn't get any worse.

Very good points!

One way to combat these crimes against humanity is to put pressure on their financial supporters. Hamas receives a lot of financial support from Turkey, Iran and Qatar, while Fatah receives a lot of support from Europe.

 

[abiG]

https://www.hrw.org/report/2018/10/...ro-dissent/arbitrary-arrest-and-torture-under

Summary:

Both the Palestinian Authorities and Hamas suppresses freedom of speech, freedom of movement, freedom of association. They also torture and arrest "dissidents".

Yes, a terribly oppressed people are oppressed. And Israel does the same damn thing.

HRW urges the International Criminal Court to open up an investigation for crimes against humanity in the Palestinian territories.

The countries that support and enable Hamas and the P.A are accessories of crime.

They should also look at Israel and who supports their terrorist regime. Obviously, they are far more dangerous, and they torture and kill far more people.

It's good that we have a thread highlighting this. I am always highly critical of Israel, and I think they need to make concessions regarding the illegal settlements if they actually are interested in peace, but make no mistake: the other side is not better, not at all. Israel is a flawed democracy, but the Palestenian areas are ruled by authoritarian Islamists.

And Israel is ruled by terrorists and have been since her birth.

Well to be fair to the Palestinians, if Israel had not always shat on them, they wouldn't have elected Hamas. They've made numerous attempts in the past to try to reach a deal. Either way, what Hamas is doing is atrocious and there is no justification for it. One can only hope it doesn't get any worse.

Fuck Hamas. Most Palestinians by far want them gone, but the crimes of the zionist terrorists far outweigh the crimes of Hamas and the US continues to fund this insanity to the tune of billions annually.

And Israel probably wouldn't have 'done that to them' if there had been no Intifadas and no wars in the 60s70s. Assigning blame on one party in this highly dialectical conflict is really a futile exercise.

If the zionists did not ethnically cleanse the majority of the indigenous people and then attempt to rule over the remaining people under racist, apartheid conditions, I am sure things would be quite different.

One way to combat these crimes against humanity is to put pressure on their financial supporters. Hamas receives a lot of financial support from Turkey, Iran and Qatar, while Fatah receives a lot of support from Europe.

The main financial supporter of Israel is the US... START THERE!

 

[TheTimeIsNotNow]

Yes, a terribly oppressed people are oppressed. And Israel does the same damn thing.


They should also look at Israel and who supports their terrorist regime. Obviously, they are far more dangerous, and they torture and kill far more people.


And Israel is ruled by terrorists and have been since her birth.


Fuck Hamas. Most Palestinians by far want them gone, but the crimes of the zionist terrorists far outweigh the crimes of Hamas and the US continues to fund this insanity to the tune of billions annually.


If the zionists did not ethnically cleanse the majority of the indigenous people and then attempt to rule over the remaining people under racist, apartheid conditions, I am sure things would be quite different.


The main financial supporter of Israel is the US... START THERE!

B..b..but Israel!
B..b..but Israel!
B..b..but Israel!
B..b..but Israel!
B..b..but Israel!
B..b..but Israel!

 

[cincymma79]

B..b..but Israel!
B..b..but Israel!
B..b..but Israel!
B..b..but Israel!
B..b..but Israel!
B..b..but Israel!

Abig is Latin for antisemite

 

[toutadixballes]

Yeah sure Fatah is Islamist

Muricans gonna muricans.

If you don't know what you're talking about, it's sometimes better to just stfu.

 

[Seaside]

It's good that we have a thread highlighting this. I am always highly critical of Israel, and I think they need to make concessions regarding the illegal settlements if they actually are interested in peace, but make no mistake: the other side is not better, not at all. Israel is a flawed democracy, but the Palestenian areas are ruled by authoritarian Islamists.

So why not just push out the islamists? The idea they need to give up land is naive and dumb. And it wont happen.

And Israel probably wouldn't have 'done that to them' if there had been no Intifadas and no wars in the 60s70s. Assigning blame on one party in this highly dialectical conflict is really a futile exercise.

The corrext way to view this is Sunni bukhari influenced islam vs Jews/all non sunni muslims. Additionally this also is an Arab sunni supremacist bukhari hanbali influenced revolt against Jews. You dont see ibadis, shiites or non bukhari followers behaving this way. I say let gaza become part of egypt force that deal and then population transfer all of west bank sunnis to jordan. In any case next war they have it will be done.

 

[snakedafunky]

Well to be fair to the Palestinians. You can't exactly fight an enemy like Israel and be a moderate and understanding regime.
That allows dissent, freedom of speech or all those other things.
Everyone not 100% behind the cause is a problem if you are in the situation of the Hamas.
I would be doing the same thing if I were them.

 

[gassius_clay]

Torture happened during the crusades too.

 

[Son of Jamin]

Well to be fair to the Palestinians. You can't exactly fight an enemy like Israel and be a moderate and understanding regime.
That allows dissent, freedom of speech or all those other things.
Everyone not 100% behind the cause is a problem if you are in the situation of the Hamas.
I would be doing the same thing if I were them.

Fair point but the internal strife between the P.A and Hamas only benefits their "enemy".
They have also tried this in-fighting for decades now and look at what that has got them? Nowhere so perhaps it's time to change strategy.

 

[m25105]

Fair point but the internal strife between the P.A and Hamas only benefits their "enemy".
They have also tried this in-fighting for decades now and look at what that has got them? Nowhere so perhaps it's time to change strategy.

The infighting would be less severe if one side could show that working with Israel could be feasible if Israel actually treated the Palestinians with respect and didn't constantly screw them over. When they [Israel] don’t, their [Fatah] argument against finding a solution weakens and the more extreme elements can go "See I told you it wouldn't work, now pick up the suicide vest."

 

[snakedafunky]

Fair point but the internal strife between the P.A and Hamas only benefits their "enemy".
They have also tried this in-fighting for decades now and look at what that has got them? Nowhere so perhaps it's time to change strategy.

Oh yeah, my point was more that if you have decided the best course of action is to fight the Israelis with violence.
You can't really make any compromises everyone has to be 100% behind the violent course.

But in general if the Palestinian would just be peaceful for a decade they would win the conflict or at least get a homeland.
If they would be peaceful most countries would be on the Palestinian side or at least be very sympathetic to them.
There would definitely not be much support for the current hardline Israeli policies.

I understand that it's not completely up to the Palestinians because of the outside influences.
But if I were in charge I would try everything to be peaceful for a considerable amount of time.
Because that's the only way to victory for them.

 

[Islam Imamate]

It's good that we have a thread highlighting this. I am always highly critical of Israel, and I think they need to make concessions regarding the illegal settlements if they actually are interested in peace, but make no mistake: the other side is not better, not at all. Israel is a flawed democracy, but the Palestenian areas are ruled by authoritarian Islamists.

What the article doesn't get into is that Israel supports the PA precisely because it is authoritarian and represses activism. The only fruit of the Oslo Accord has been a the outsourcing of repression in the West Bank to the PA by Israel through the security cooperation. Notice that while Trump has withheld plenty of the traditional aid payments to Palestine he nonetheless released $61 million to the PA for its security cooperation with Israel.

And Israel probably wouldn't have 'done that to them' if there had been no Intifadas and no wars in the 60s70s. Assigning blame on one party in this highly dialectical conflict is really a futile exercise.

Good people on both sides amirite?

The reality is that the goal of Zionism from the beginning was to ethnically cleanse the Palestinians from Palestine to take the land for themselves and they have been supported in this endeavor by the Western hegemonic power, first Britain then the US. Its not a conflict of equals, its a conflict between colonizer and the colonized.

 

[toutadixballes]

That the thing with the two sides point of vue.

It's not a balanced situation, you have a hegemonic oppressive power and a powerless authority.
Numbers don't lie.

 

[Islam Imamate]

But in general if the Palestinian would just be peaceful for a decade they would win the conflict or at least get a homeland.
If they would be peaceful most countries would be on the Palestinian side or at least be very sympathetic to them.
There would definitely not be much support for the current hardline Israeli policies.

What people don't understand is that the Palestinians have tried peaceful means of resistance to Zionism, it just didn't work because the Zionists had the support of the major power. When Zionists were first migrating to Palestine they created newspapers to criticize them and used strikes and demonstrations. The British Mandatory government brutally repressed these efforts which led to a radicalization and militant turn that culminated in the Arab revolt of 1936-39. It was the putting down of this revolt that severely undercut the civil society and militant currents in Palestine which ultimately left them vulnerable to the ethnic cleansing that came a decade later during the Nakba.

 

[danny23]

Can't blame them. They can't be soft if they have the Israeli, Zionist scums constantly attacking them.
I fully support Hamas in this, and everything.