“This is Apartheid”: Palestinians welcome Biden

Ramallah, Jul 14 (Prensa Latina) Numerous billboards and posters with the phrase "Mr. President: this is Apartheid" have been posted in the West Bank cities of Bethlehem and Ramallah, ahead of the visit of US President Joe Biden.

The campaign is promoted by the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories (B’Tselem).

Washington must recognize “that the area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea is ruled by an apartheid regime and change its attitude towards Israel accordingly.” “When the attitude changes, so will the regime,” as Hagai El-Ad, B’Tselem Executive Director, was quoted by The Jerusalem Post.

Biden started yesterday his first tour of the Middle East as president, and pointed out that the two-state solution is the best way to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but stressed that it is not visible on the near horizon.

The Arab media agree that the Palestinian issue is not on the forefront on the president’s agenda, which aims to address security issues, Iran’s nuclear program, increasing oil production, and likely supplying arms to Ukraine.

As part of his tour, Biden will travel to the West Bank city of Bethlehem on Friday, where he will be received by his Palestinian counterpart, Mahmoud Abbas.

Nabil Amr, an adviser to Abbas, was skeptical about the results of the visit due to Washington’s historical support for Israel, and denounced that the ruler’s recognition of the two-state solution is just a bad check for the Palestinians.