Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington has prompted protests against the controversial ties between the United States and Israel.
A day after US President Barack Obama's Middle East speech, protesters gathered outside the White House in opposition to Netanyahu's visit on Friday, a Press TV correspondent reported.
“Israeli policy and US support for that policy, has been part of destroying people's basic rights in the occupied territories amongst Palestinians,” one demonstrator told Press TV.
“President Obama's speech, it was nonsense, and it did not support Palestinians at all. Unfortunately, all the press have been focusing on one sentence he said, that Palestinians have the right to the border of [19]67. But his whole speech supported the Israelis,” Lucy Jerias of Code Pink told Press TV.
Yet many treated the speech as a step in the right direction toward Palestinian statehood and US support.
A handful of counter protesters also showed their support for Netanyahu and his US allies.
“You want to make sure that there are no Jews? That's what Hamas and Fatah are all about. So I can't listen to any more arguments. It's a matter of my security as a Jew and as a human being. If you're going to kill me, I have to kill you first. It's just that simple,” Bob Kunst of Shalom International told Press TV.
President Obama is also scheduled to speak at the American Israeli Political Action Committee's (AIPAC) convention this weekend.
The outrage and disappointment expressed by protesters here will carry on into the weekend where the annual AIPAC summit will take place, countering the issue of the United States 'special' relationship with Israel.
LF/PKH/MMN
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