Palestinians who eat publicly during Ramadan can go to prison

There has been a kerfuffle in Israel over a proposed law that would allow Israeli hospitals latitude to ban visitors from bringing items that are not kosher for Passover into their facilities during the seven day holiday.

It plays out in the media as a typical battle between the religious and the secular in Israel on basic rights, of religious coercion versus freedom of religion, even though the number of hospitals that are likely to post guards to check visitor bags for chametz is probably roughly zero.

But meanwhile, Palestinian laws are quite explicitly coercive against Christians and non-practicing Muslims. And no one seems too concerned about them.

Article 274 of Penal Code 16, originally Jordanian law from 1960, impose a fine and imprisonment of one month for any Palestinian who publicly eats during Ramadan: "Whoever publicly breaks the fast during Ramadan shall be punished with imprisonment up to one month or a fine of up to fifteen dinars."

According to Palestinian media, "this penalty is applied in all the cities of the West Bank, taking into account the areas where Christians reside, such as Bethlehem and some areas in Ramallah." But that only means that the enforcement of the law is more lax in Christian areas - but the law itself still applies.

About ten people are arrested every year for violating the ban on public eating during Ramadan.

There are other laws to protect Muslim feelings. Article 278 is the more draconian:

A penalty of imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months or a fine not exceeding twenty dinars shall be imposed on whoever:

1- Publishes something printed, written, picture, drawing or symbol that may offend the religious feeling of other people or insult their religious belief. or

2- uttering, in a public place and within earshot of another person, a word or sound that would offend the religious feeling or belief of that other person.

Even though this and other laws do not mention Islam or Muslims explicitly, they are only only meant to protect Muslims. This is obvious because Article 276 punishes anyone who intentionally disturbs any religious rites - but Palestinians attack any Jews who worship at Joseph's Tomb in Nablus, forcing the Israeli army to protect them. 

The people and media who pretend to care about human rights of Palestinians go silent about Palestinian laws that violate basic human rights of non-Muslim or non-religious Palestinians.

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