A new report cites the Palestinian Authority and Hamas for widespread human rights abuses, which it says are being ignored by the mainstream press and others who often rush to criticize only Israel.
The report issued by Palestinian Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) calls out the PA and Hamas for many instances of torture and oppression, according to Mosaic Magazine.
"Evidently, most Western governments, journalists and human rights organizations have chosen to endorse the Palestinian Authority's stance that the only evil-doers are the Israelis," Mosaic reported. "And that is precisely why the ICHR report on the anarchy, lawlessness, and human rights violations by the Palestinian Authority and Hamas will be completely ignored in the West."
The report outlines multiple instances of human rights violations:
During January, ICHR wrote that it received 56 complaints about torture and mistreatment in Palestinian prisons: 36 in the Gaza Strip and 19 in the West Bank. In addition, the human rights organization received innumerable complaints about arbitrary and unlawful arrests of Palestinians by the PA and Hamas.
ICHR wrote that it also received complaints from Palestinians who accused the Palestinian Authority security forces in the West Bank of unlawfully seizing their money.
The organization also received complaints about assaults on freedom of expression and the media, as well as on peaceful protests and academic freedoms.