West Bank and Nablus protested on Thursday Obama’s UN speech in which he opposed Palestinian bid to UN membership
The workers union in Nablus said members suspended work for an hour on Thursday in protest against US President Barack Obama's speech at the United Nations, which slammed the Palestinian bid for membership of the world body, Maan news agency reported.
Union official Amjad Abu Raed told Ma'an that over 7,000 employees in Nablus ministries stopped work at 11 a.m. in a show of defiance against Obama's UN address, which was perceived as bias towards Israel.
Around 1,000 Palestinians gathered in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Thursday to protest against Obama's speech.
The protesters carried signs deriding the United States and Obama for his address, in which he reiterated his opposition to the Palestinians' attempt to win UN membership for their state, saying there was no "shortcut" to peace.
"Shame on those who pretend to be democratic," read one banner held up by the crowds who gathered outside the Muqataa, the headquarters of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
"America is the head of the snake," read another placard carried by demonstrators, who massed by a pavilion decked out with the flags of the more than 120 nations who have recognized a Palestinian state.
The demonstrators were planning to pass by the tomb of the late president Yasser Arafat before heading to Manara Square in the city center, where at least 15,000 people gathered on Wednesday to support the UN bid.
The Palestinian Workers Union said it was planning to issue a call for rallies to take place after the main weekly Muslim prayers on Friday outside US embassies across the Arab world.
The Palestinian media was equally scathing about Obama's address, which came two days before Abbas is to formally submit a request that the UN admit a Palestinian state as a member.
Commentators slammed Obama, saying he illustrated the depth of Washington's bias towards Israel and failed to even mention the suffering of the Palestinians or the ongoing construction of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
