(JNi.media) On Sunday night in Bethlehem, Arab demonstrators united in protest against Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. They called for his immediate resignation following the cooperation of security forces at his command with Israel, and the arrests they collaborate in carrying out, against the backdrop of the Al-Aqsa Mosque riots.
According to NRG, the security coordination between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, which has recently resulted in a wave of arrests carried out by the Palestinian security services, are infuriating the Palestinians, who carry the social protests against Abbas from the social networks to the streets.
Ma’an described the event as a march that was called to protest an excessive use of force by PA forces last week.
Sunday night’s demonstration began at the Deheishe refugee camp just south of Bethlehem, when protesters gathered in front of the Palestinian intelligence building, shouting and throwing rocks. After a few minutes, several police officers came out to disperse the demonstration, and one of them fired live rounds of ammunition at the demonstrators. After the demonstrators failed to disperse, a large force of Palestinian police left the building and began making arrests.
In response to the live shooting, armed Arab gunmen affiliated with the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades came out of the Deheishe camp, and entered a shootout with the security forces. They issued a statement saying “the security forces of Abbas use weapons against the Palestinian people; whomever uses weapons against us is the enemy and we will respond against him with war.”
The clashes during the night at Deheishe followed exchanges of gunfire in the Balata refugee camp in Shechem and the Jenin refugee camp. The protest is focused against the aging Chairman of the Authority, who is now identified as a “traitor against the Palestinian people.”
A high-ranking Fatah official, who wished to remain anonymous, told Ma’an: “We agreed with factions and powers not to participate in these marches where some people chanted against the president.”
Referring to violence from protesters, the anonymous source blamed Israel: “We think there are sides like Israel who might want to plant disturbances and benefit from them.