Figure 1.--.

The Human rights situation in Palestine is a very complex topic to discuss. Palestine in the 20th century underwent many political mutations. It began the century as a province of the Ottoman Empire. After World War I it was adminidstered as a League of Nations mandate by the British. This included two periods before and after the First Partition which separated Trans-Jordan from the rest if Palestine. Than after the British left and the First Isreali-Palestinian War was fought (1948-49), the West Bank and East Jerusalem was annex by Jordan and Gaza administered by Egypt. After the Six Days War (1967), Israel seized East-Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza. After the Oslo Peace Process, the Palestinian Authority was given a substantial degree of internal self government, including a full Isreali withdrawl from Gaza (2005). The situation changed again with the Palestinian election (2006) and Hamas seized control of Gaza (2007). Thus any discussion of human rights in Palestine had to in the context of the political regime. Here we need to look at both government actions and the cultural values of the Palestinian people because they did not actually elect a gvernment until the 21st century (2006). One overwealming trend observeable throughout these different regimes has been the Palestinian Muslim tendency to resort to violence which has been directed at Jews, Christians, and other Muslims. And after the 2006 electiins both the PA and Hamas have refused to hold another elections. As it noe stands, the only Palestinians enjoying basic human rights are the Palestinians in Israel.

Ottoman Empire

Palestine began the century as a province of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire has a mixed human rights record. They seemed to have generally protected non-threatening minority groups like Christians and Jews in their Arab territories. And in Palestine they did permit Jewish immigration and settlment, albeit i a small scale. There record was very different in other areas such as Christins in the Balkansand Lebanon and of coure the Armenians in Anatolia.

British Mandate

Palestine after World War I it was adminidstered as a League of Nations mandate by the British. This included two periods before and after the First Partition which separated Trans-Jordan from the rest of Palestine. Riots in part organized by te Grand Mufti targeted both the British and Jews. The Mufti also targeted moderate Arabs. The British attempted to organize an elected government, but this was resisted by the Mufti, in part would have included constitutional protection for minorities and a secular legal system. The British partitioned Palestine, creaing Trans Jordan. Jew were banned from settling in Trans-Jordan. The Grnd-Mufti in contact with the NAZIs launched another vilent campaign aganst the British and Jews (1930s)

First Isreali-Palestinian War (1948-49)

Than after the British left and the First Isreali-Palestinian War was fought (1948-49). It is during the War that large numbers of Pletinian Arabs fled from Isreali occupied areas. There is considerable disagreement as to hy they fled. This is a topic we bgan to address, but have not yet formed any definitive conclusions. The Palestinian refugee prorblem dates fro the War.

West Bank and Gaza (1949-67)

The West Bank and East Jerusalem was annexd by Jordan and Gaza administered by Egypt. Neither country permitted the Palestinians from creating their own state. The Egyptians restricted the Palestinians to Gaza camps.

Istrali Occupation (1967- )

After the Six Days War (1967), Israel seized East-Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza. Palestinians complain biterly of human rights abuses by the Isrealis during the occupation. The Palestinians charge the Isrealis are represive and the Isrealis charge that Palestinian terror attacks require a range of security measures and actions. We will address these charges and oter human rights issues. There are some issues that are not commonly discussed, suchbas women's rights. Another important issue is economic rights. Here it is important to note that the economic decline that has brought such suffering to the Palestinian peopkle did not begin until the Interfada. Another important issue is minority rights and ethnic cleansing. Here we are not speaking of Jews because in Palestinian areas, Jews can not live unless they are in fortified settlements. The situation of Arab Christians is important to consider. Unde Jordanian rule, Christian Arabs comprised 20 percent of the population of the West Bank and Gaza. [Catholic News Agency] The current Christian population is only about 2 percent. This is essentially ethnic cleansing that has gone unreported in the press.

Plestinian Authority (1993- )

After the beginning of the Oslo Peace Process (1993), the Palestinian Authority was given a substantial degree of internal self government, including a full Isreali withdrawl from Gaza (2005). The situation changed again with the Palestinian election (2006) and Hamas seized control of Gaza (2007).

Press Treatment

Countless news items complain of Israeli human rights abuses against Palestinians. Rarely mentioned that the injuries often reportedin gory details are the result of Israeli self-defense rtaliation resulting from Palestinian attacks on Israel. Since the construction od the Israeli Dense Barrier, this has primarily mean rocket attacks. An never do you see a comparison of the basic human rights afforded to Palestinians in Israel and and Palestinians in the PA controlled West Bank and Hamas-controlled Gaza. Also rarely mentioned is he treatment of Palestinians in Arab countries or the treatment of minorities (Jews, Christians, and others including Muslim minorities) in Palestinian-controlled area and Muslim-majority countries. Human rights include the tight to vote, the right peacefully assesmble, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom for gender (LGBT minorities, the right to a quality education, employment opportunities, the rule of law, and other basic attributes of Western Civilization. The only country which rates high in these and other basic rights is democratic Isreal. And the only Palestinians that enjoy these basic human rights are the Palestinian citizen of in Israel. The Palestinian population in Israel was some 1.4 million people, about 20 percent of the Israeli population. And the Palestinian population in Israel is growing, in sharp contrast to declinging or expelled minority population (Jews abd Christians) in the Palestinian-controlled territories. Most Israeli Arabs Muslim, mostly Sunni Muslims. Interestingly Muslim Congresswoman about halfway through a address to CAIR on the occassion 4th annual Valley Banquet in Los Angeles.that when she is having a conversation, and someone asks her why she keeps talking about “this particular country” and not other countries, “My choice of a particular country to talk about is not my preference of country. It is based on what country is violating basic human rights.” That wasa flat out lie. She does no speak about the human rights violations in Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Venezuela and other brutal regimes. She only focuses on democratic Israel where Palestinians enjoy basic human rights and rights they do NOT enjoy in the Palesistian territories. And to a lesser degree on governments friendly to the United States. We note that on the same day Ms. Omar delivered one of her anti-Israel tweets, the New York Times carried a front-page report on Hama human rights abuses. Heavily armed Hamas militia attacked peacful demonsrators protesting conditions in Gaza. It is worth noteing that since Hamas was elected (2006), they have allowed no further elections. The New York Times article began, "GAZA CITY — The young tea and coffee vendor from northern Gaza said he was not asking for much. He just wanted to get by. So the vendor, Amir Abu Oun, 19, joined the peaceful protests in the Jabaliya refugee camp this month against the daily hardships in the impoverished Palestinian coastal enclave. The first day, he said, security forces from Hamas, the militant Islamist movement that controls the Gaza Strip, beat and punched him. The second day, he was detained and held for five days, during which he said he was slapped, beaten and deprived of food. 'Injustice will not last,' he told the security officers. According to Mr. Abu Oun, they replied, 'We will show you how injustice will last.'” [Abuheweila and Kershner] Ms. Omar of course was silent on these abuses because human rights in reality is not what she is interested in.

Sources

Abuheweila, Iyad and Isabel Kershner. "Hamas crackdown on Gaza protests instills fear," The New York Times (March 24, 2019).

Created: 8:16 AM 10/15/2007
Last updated: 6:16 PM 3/25/2019