Will Kerry Bring Jews To His Meeting With Abbas -- And If He Does, Will Abbas Let Them In?

It may seem like a silly, even awkward, question but based on the apparent policy of the Abbas regime -- the question is pertinent.

Khaled Abu Toameh writes: Palestinians: "No Jews Allowed!":

Just last week, for example, a journalist who requested a meeting between Western journalists and a top Palestinian Authority official was told "to make sure there were no Jews or Israelis" among the visitors.

The official's aide went on to explain: "We are sorry, but we do not meet with Jews or Israelis."

Another Palestinian journalist who tried to arrange an interview with a Palestinian Authority official for a European colleague was turned down "because the man's name indicates he is a Jew."

In yet another recent incident, a Palestinian Authority ministry instructed its guards to "prevent Jewish reporters" from attending an event in Ramallah.

Toameh notes that it is not clear if the official leadership is behind this, but neither are they doing anything to curb this.

It is a bit odd that Kerry is pushing for talks and emphasizing how crucial they are -- at a time when the Abbas regime shows no interest in Israeli-Arab negotiations without preconditions and curtails communications with Israelis and Jews.

Journalists who want to visit a city under the control of the Palestinian Authority city or meet with a top official has to first get permission in advance from the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Information.

Other Arab groups have picked up on the hint -- the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate now supports the restrictions and is urging the Palestinian Authority to ban Israeli journalists from being allowed to enter Palestinian cities without permission.

Thus Toameh's question:

It now remains to be seen how Palestinians will react when and if they see their leaders in the West Bank return to the negotiating table with Israel, or meet with a Jewish Congressman or politician.

The next time U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry visits Ramallah, will he actually violate U.S. law to make sure there are no Jews among his entourage lest he upset his Palestinian hosts?

Read the whole thing.

We'll see.

US Secretary of State John Kerry meets with Abbas in Istanbul in April.
Meeting Abbas on his home turf may be trickier. Credit: Wiki Commons

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