イスラエルの併合支持した複数のパレスチナ人、自治政府が逮捕

【エルサレムＡＦＰ＝時事】6月に放映されたイスラエルのテレビ番組で、パレスチナ自治区ヨルダン川西岸の一部地域のイスラエル併合を希望すると述べたパレスチナ住民数人が、パレスチナ当局に逮捕された。関係筋が明らかにした。（写真はヨルダン川西岸の入植地にある自宅で取材に応じる、イスラエルの著名なジャーナリスト、ツビ・イェヘズケル氏）
　ドナルド・トランプ米大統領は１月に発表した中東和平案で、国際法上違法とみなされているユダヤ人入植地を含めたヨルダン川西岸の広い範囲をイスラエルに併合するための支援を約束した。
　だが、パレスチナ自治政府はヨルダン川西岸のいかなる部分の併合も一切認めておらず、またパレスチナの世論調査でも圧倒的多数がそれに同意している。
　そうした中、イスラエルのテレビ取材に応じた西岸地区在住のパレスチナ人らは、パレスチナ当局や世論とは真っ向から異なる意見を述べた。番組でのインタビューは隠しカメラで撮影され、個人の顔や音声は身元が分からないよう加工して放映された。
　１人目は「イスラエルの身分証が欲しい」と述べ、２人目は「イスラエルが敵なんじゃない。イスラエル政府が敵なのだ」と答えた。３人目は、自分は「イスラエルを選んだ」のであって、公の場でそれを口にすることも怖くないと述べた。
　この報道番組を制作したイスラエルの著名なジャーナリスト、ツビ・イェヘズケリ氏によると、インタビューの中でイスラエルへの併合を支持すると語った少なくとも６人が、後にパレスチナ当局に逮捕されたという。
　イェヘズケリ氏はＡＦＰに対し、「撮影した全員の顔をぼかし、声を変えたにもかかわらず、（パレスチナ）当局が身元を割り出し、（数人を）拘束したことに非常に驚いている」と語った。
　だが、ＡＦＰの取材に応じたパレスチナ自治政府内務省報道官のガーサン・ニムル氏は「われわれはこの件に関して誰も逮捕していない」と答え、パレスチナ警察報道官も同じく否定した。
　パレスチナの指導者らは、イスラエルへの併合は永続的な和平と２国家共存という解決策へ向けた希望を打ち砕き、新たな蜂起に火をつける危険性があると警告している。パレスチナ人を対象に先月行われた世論調査では、回答者の８８％が「トランプ案」に反対し、５２％が武装闘争の復活を支持すると答えた。ここ数週間では、ヨルダン川西岸の併合やトランプ案に対する抗議デモも広がっている。
　それにもかかわらず、パレスチナ自治区で約４半世紀にわたって特派員を務めるイェヘズケリ氏はＡＦＰに対し、パレスチナ指導部の徹底的な対立姿勢を共有していないパレスチナ人も多くいることに気付いたと指摘。
　インタビューでは「われわれは併合など気にしていない」「パレスチナ自治政府は失敗した」「腐敗している」などと述べる人もいたという。
　ＡＦＰが接触したあるパレスチナ人は、イェヘズケリ氏のインタビューに答えた親戚の一人が数週間、パレスチナ警察に拘束されていたと述べた。間もなく裁判が始まるという。
　だが、逮捕される「恐怖」はあるが、自分も同じくイスラエルへの併合を支持しており、「イスラエルがわれわれに市民権を与えてくれる」ことを期待していると語った。
　パレスチナの一部の識者は、こうした発言は占領下で数十年を過ごし、長い間望んでいた平和と繁栄を否定された人々の深い落胆を反映しているという。
　だが、イスラエルが平等な市民権をパレスチナ人に認めて受けいれる用意があるかといえば、答えはおそらくノーだ。
　イスラエルのベンジャミン・ネタニヤフ首相は５月下旬、併合される地域に暮らすパレスチナ人がイスラエルの市民権を持つことはないだろうと述べた。
　パレスチナ当局も併合された場合についてはもはや責任を負えず、併合地域のパレスチナ住民の法的地位がどうなるかは不透明なままだ。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/07/20-13:15）

The Palestinian Authority has arrested several people who said they would favour Israeli annexations in parts of the West Bank, corroborating sources say, despite Ramallah's denial.
In an Israeli television report aired in early June, several Palestinians in the occupied West Bank are heard expressing the hope of becoming Israelis if annexation under a US-Israeli plan moves forward.
The comments by those interviewed directly contradict the Palestinian Authority's (PA's) total opposition to any West Bank annexations, a view shared by an overwhelming majority of the Palestinian public, according to surveys.
The Palestinians featured in the programme were captured by hidden camera and their identities concealed in the broadcast through blurred faces and distorted voices.
I want an Israeli identity card, one Palestinian is heard saying. Another stated that he didn't see Israelis as enemies -- their government is the enemy. And a third said he chose Israel and wasn't afraid to speak out publicly.
The prominent Israeli journalist who made the report, Tzvi Yehezkeli, said at least six people who spoke out in favour of annexation were subsequently arrested by the PA's security services.
I was surprised to see that even though I've blurred the faces of all the people I filmed and distorted their voices, the Authority has reached and arrested (some) of them, it's just amazing, he told AFP.
Contacted by AFP, several PA security sources rejected the claims.
We have not arrested anyone in connection with this case, Palestinian interior ministry spokesman Ghassan Nimr told AFP, while Palestinian police spokesman Louay Arzeikat also denied anyone was being held over the report.
- 'Fear' of arrest -
Israel had set July 1 as the date from which it could decide on the implementation of the Middle East plan proposed by US President Donald Trump and backed by right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
It proposes Israel's annexation of its Jewish settlements and the Jordan Valley in the West Bank, a Palestinian territory occupied since 1967 by the Jewish state.
No announcement has so far been made on annexation -- a move that would violate international law -- but Netanyahu has said talks with Washington are ongoing.
Palestinian leaders have warned annexation would shatter any hopes for enduring peace and a two-state solution and risk sparking a new uprising.
Some 88 percent of Palestinians oppose the Trump plan, according to a poll last month by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, and 52 percent even said they would support a return to armed struggle.
There have been waves of demonstrations against annexation and the Trump plan across the West Bank in recent weeks.
Nonetheless, Yehezkeli, who has been a correspondent in the Palestinian territories for nearly 25 years, told AFP he realised there are also many Palestinians who do not share the outright opposition of their leaders.
Some interviewees had told him that we don't care about annexation and that the Palestinian Authority has failed and was corrupt, he said, adding that he regretted not airing all those comments on television.
He insisted he had been told of their subsequent arrests by their families and stressed that he felt responsible.
One Palestinian contacted by AFP said his relative, who had criticised the PA in the report, had been held for several weeks by Palestinian police and was due to face a court soon.
The individual said he was also in favour of annexation and, despite fear of being arrested, added he remained hopeful that Israel will give us citizenship.
- 'Lost hope' -
Some Palestinian commentators say such statements reflect the deep dejection of people who have spent decades under occupation, denied the peace and prosperity they had long hoped for.
Why did those people say that? asked Shawan Jabarin of the Palestinian rights organisation Al-Haq. They said that because they have lost hope in peace, in a two-state solution.
We can't take this question out of context. The context is: there is injustice, occupation, oppression, and the Palestinian Authority doesn't act for the Palestinian national interests... They failed to bring peace.
The question is: is Israel ready to accept them as full citizens, equal citizens?
The answer appears to be no.
Netanyahu in late May said that Palestinians who find themselves on annexed land will not obtain Israeli citizenship.
Their status will remain unclear, since they will no longer be answerable to the PA either.
Israel annexed east Jerusalem in 1967, but the Palestinians still claim the sector as the capital of their future state. Palestinians living in east Jerusalem do not have Israeli citizenship but residence cards.
Only Israeli Arabs -- descendants of the Palestinians who remained on their land after the creation of Israel in 1948 -- have full Israeli citizenship.
But some face discrimination in a country that passed a law in 2018 defining it as the nation-state of the Jewish people.