PALESTINIANS PROTEST PENCE'S VISIT WITH CLOSED SHOPS, EMPTY STREETS:

At the behest of Fatah, Palestinians in Jerusalem, Judea & Samaria kept their shops closed on Tues. 23 Jan. 2018 to protest the USA vice president's trip to Israel. Palestinians took part in a general strike, protesting Pence's time in Israel, and his Knesset speech in support of USA President Donald Trump's Dec. 2017 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Shops in Palestinian cities and in east Jerusalem were locked and shuttered, and the streets were nearly entirely empty. On 22 Jan. 2018, Pence's speech to Israel's Knesset was briefly disrupted, at the outset, by Arab Israeli parliament members who held up protest signs in Arabic and English, reading "Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine." They were immediately ejected by ushers. Pence responded to the incident by saying with a smile: "It is deeply humbling for me to stand before this vibrant democracy." (J.Post)