Abbas regime, having been backed by Mubarak, cracks down on protests
Thursday, February 3, 2011 E-Mail this story Free Headline Alerts
RAMALLAH — The Palestinian Authority has ordered a crackdown on protests amid the unrest in Egypt.
Officials said PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has called for restrictions on protests and dissent in the West Bank. They said the Abbas orders focused on preventing any demonstration that sought to support the drive in Egypt to topple President Hosni Mubarak.
"The president does not want the problems that are in Egypt to come here," an official said.
Abbas was said to have discussed the situation with security and intelligence agency chiefs in late January. Officials said the discussion focused on the prospect of whether Palestinians would stage protests against Mubarak, deemed a longtime supporter of the Abbas regime.
A key concern, officials said, was that any anti-Mubarak protest would be exploited by the opposition Hamas movement. Hamas has been regarded as an offshoot of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood and said to be supporting the unrest in Egypt.
On Jan. 30, PA forces dispersed a demonstration in front of the Egyptian liasion office in Ramallah. A police force also attacked Western reporters and television crews and arrested several of the protesters.
"Autocratic and unelected regimes tend to identify with one another," protest organizer Omar Barghouti said.
Abbas also ordered a halt to all protests, including those against Israel. Officials said the PA chairman was concerned that demonstrations organized against Israel could quickly turn into anti-Mubarak protests. On Feb. 2, the PA organized a pro-Mubarak rally in Ramallah.
Officials said the ban on protests in the West Bank would be temporary. Abbas has pledged to hold presidential and legislative elections, but has not yet set a date. On Feb. 2, Hamas said it would boycott any elections held by the PA.