Bethlehem/PNN/
During his visit to occupied east Jerusalem and Bethlehem Palestinians organized protest steps against the US President's visit to express their rejection of the US policies that are biased towards Israel as an occupying country and an apartheid regime.
Dozens of Palestinian activists demonstrated outside the Augusta Victoria Hospital in East Jerusalem, as Biden was visiting the medical facility.
The activists hoisted Palestinian flags and black banners, reminding the 79-year-old Palestinian president that the lives of the Palestinian people matter.
Palestinian sources said a large number of Israeli forces were deployed outside the hospital.
Israeli troops later engaged in clashes with Palestinian protesters as they tried to disperse the crowd.
In Bethlehem, there were two protest steps, the first in Dheisheh camp, south of Bethlehem, where the protest march was organized by invitation of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) factions.
Muhammad al-Jaafari, the coordinator of the PLO factions in Bethlehem, said in an interview with the Palestine News Network that this march is to confirm that all Palestinians are united in their rejection of the American positions that support Israel.
The other protest was organized by the Aida youth center in the Aida refugee camp where the children of the camp march in the street and hold black balloons and Banners condemning the US president's declaration that he is a Zionist and his support for the Israeli apartheid regime.
Munther Amira, head of the Aida Youth Center and coordinator of the committee for resisting the wall and settlements, said that the American stances biased towards the occupying state contradict the Palestinian rights sanctioned by international legitimacy, and therefore we launch these activities to denounce these American policies and to express our rejection of Biden visit to Bethlehem.
Amira added that the children lunch black balloons to tell Joe Biden this is a black day for Bethlehem and all Palestinians and you are not welcomed in our land because you represent Injustice and persecution.
The demonstrators also demanded justice for slain Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed on May 11 during an Israeli military raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin. Last month, the United Nations human rights office said evidence suggested Israeli military fire had killed Abu Akleh while she stood with other reporters and was identifiable as a journalist. [gallery size="full" columns="2" link="file" ids="45110,45111,45112,45113,45114,45115,45116"]
