Gaza activist: Hamas stops pro-Egypt rally in Gaza
GAZA CITY: Hamas police prevented a handful of people in Gaza from demonstrating in solidarity with the Egyptian protesters demanding President Hosni Mubarak's ouster, a Gaza activist said today.
The West Bank's Palestinian Authority also squelched a pro-Egypt protest this week, showing the rival governments' fears that the massive anti-government protests in nearby Egypt could inspire Palestinians unhappy with their own leadership to rise up against it.
Gaza activist Asma al-Ghoul said she and a small group of demonstrators had gathered Tuesday in central Gaza City when police came to stop them. She says police detained and roughed up some demonstrators.
"Everyone should enjoy the right of freedom expression,'' she said, adding that female police harassed her for not covering her hair and accused her of being a bad Muslim.
New York-based Human Rights watch called on Hamas to "stop arbitrarily interfering with peaceful demonstrations about Egypt or anything else."
Hamas police had no comment. Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules Gaza, has issued no official comments on the Egyptian protests but officials have said privately that change in Egypt could benefit Hamas by easing the Egyptian-Israeli blockade imposed on the impoverished coastal territory.
The Western-backed Palestinian Authority in the West Bank put down a similar protest this week - reflecting fears of unrest among its own population.(
The West Bank's Palestinian Authority also squelched a pro-Egypt protest this week, showing the rival governments' fears that the massive anti-government protests in nearby Egypt could inspire Palestinians unhappy with their own leadership to rise up against it.
Gaza activist Asma al-Ghoul said she and a small group of demonstrators had gathered Tuesday in central Gaza City when police came to stop them. She says police detained and roughed up some demonstrators.
"Everyone should enjoy the right of freedom expression,'' she said, adding that female police harassed her for not covering her hair and accused her of being a bad Muslim.
New York-based Human Rights watch called on Hamas to "stop arbitrarily interfering with peaceful demonstrations about Egypt or anything else."
Hamas police had no comment. Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules Gaza, has issued no official comments on the Egyptian protests but officials have said privately that change in Egypt could benefit Hamas by easing the Egyptian-Israeli blockade imposed on the impoverished coastal territory.
The Western-backed Palestinian Authority in the West Bank put down a similar protest this week - reflecting fears of unrest among its own population.(
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