Young Palestinians connected with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah Party Sunday threw eggs and shoes at the motorcade of Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird after he wrapped up a meeting with his Palestinian counterpart.
Dozens of Palestinians heckled, booed and threw objects at Baird’s car near Ramallah in protest of the conservative Canadian government’s pro-Israel position.
"Baird you are not welcome in Palestine," read signs held by protesters as seen in video of the incident.
Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister,John Baird leaves the Foreign Affairs ministry after meeting with his Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Malki on January 18, 2015 in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Angry Palestinian youths hurled eggs at the motorcade of Baird as he was leaving after the meeting. (Photo: Abbas Momani/AFP/Getty Images)
The foreign minister was not hit, but one of the eggs hit the roof of his car, Reuters reported, adding that several dozen Palestinian special forces armed with machine guns and riot gear guarded the building.
Activists from the Fatah party earlier called for a boycott of Baird because of Canada's pro-Israel stance.
Baird is holding meetings with Israeli and Palestinian officials this week.
Policemen disperse protesters outside the Foreign Affairs ministry after angry Palestinian youths hurled eggs at the motorcade of Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird after his meeting with his Palestinian counterpart on January 18, 2015 in the West Bank city of Ramallah. (Photo: Abbas Momani/AFP/Getty Images)
The group of about 100 were protesting recent Canadian moves including opposing the Palestinian effort to pursue war crimes charges against Israel.
Fatah activists: We warned Canadian foreign minister not to come to Ramallah. He got what he deserved (eggs and shoes).
— Khaled Abu Toameh (@KhaledAbuToameh) January 18, 2015Palestinians throw eggs at car of Canadian FM in Ramallah. Fatah called him Likud Minister and demanded Palestinian boycott.
— Khaled Abu Toameh (@KhaledAbuToameh) January 18, 2015Baird has criticized Palestinian Authority chief negotiator Saeb Erakat for comparing Israel to the Islamic State group, while Canada has opposed a Palestinian UN Security Council bid to force a full Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and east Jerusalem in two years.
The Associated Press reported that Baird released a statement describing his meeting with Malki as "cordial and constructive" and included "candid and frank exchanges on areas where we differ in opinion."
Here is video of the demonstration:
