Palestinians underwhelmed by Obama's visit

Next week President Obama is to visit the Holy Land; on his agenda is included a visit to Bethlehem's Church of the Holy Nativity, the church alleged to mark the site of the Redeemer's birthplace. On the face of it this is good news for the besieged denizens of the occupied West Bank. But as a number of Palestinian voices have pointed out, this is a well known stopping-off place for visitors to Israel. Coachloads by the dozen inhabit the car park next to the famous church every day, disgorging their occupants to have a quick gander at the famous church before proceeding quickly to safer places behind the great segregation wall. Tour guides remind the visitors not to tarry in local shops where they will probably be ripped off at best, or kidnapped and sold into the white slavery market at worst. So the thousands of daily visitors to Bethlehem contribute very little to the economy of the local citizenry.

Obama's visit could therefore be described as so much political window dressing: a meaningless gesture while America continues to be in thrall to the mystique of the Jewish state. During the recent election campaign, no one, Obama included, dared to say a single word against the injustices perpetrated by the Israelis every day in the occupied territories, cowed into silence by the all-powerful influence of the Jewish lobby. So the Palestinian people may welcome an American president- they are famous for their hospitality. But they won't be expecting any change at all in America's policy of "My Israel, right or wrong".