27 nov 2013
The United Nations has declared the year 2014 as a “Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People” after the resolution passed by 110 votes, while seven opposed, and 54 countries abstained.
The UN said it will be working with various governments, organizations and civil society institutions in 2014 to ensure the urgently needed support to the Palestinian people.
In a message read on his behalf, UN Secretary General Ban ki-moon, called on world countries to translate their solidarity with the Palestinian people by working together for justice and peace.
The message of ki-moon stated that Israel’s occupation of the rest of historic Palestine in 1967 must end, and stressed on the importance of establishing a sovereign, independent and viable Palestinian State on the 1967 borders, “living side by side in peace with Israel”.
It affirmed that Jerusalem must be the capital of the two states after achieving arrangements “acceptable by all parties”, and stressed on the urgency of finding a solution for millions of Palestinian refugees displaced by Israel starting before and during its establishment in %78 percent of the historic land of Palestine in 1948.
“We cannot afford to lose the current moment of opportunity,” Ban Ki-moon said in his message, “The goal remains clear – an end to the occupation that started in 1967 and the creation of a sovereign, independent, and viable State of Palestine based, living side by side in peace with a secure State of Israel".
In November of 2012, the United Nations General Assembly voted in favor of granting Palestine an observer status, a move that indirectly resembled a UN recognition of Palestine as a state.
The vote passed by 138 votes, while nine including the US voted against, and 41 countries absented.
Israel and the United States were angered by the move, and considered it “counterproductive”. Israel then stopped the transfer of tax money it collects on behalf of the Palestinians on border terminals, and the US froze its financial support.
Israel and its allies are attempting to prevent the Palestinians from joining the International Criminal Court (ICC), as joining the ICC gives the Palestinian Authority the chance to sue Israel for war crimes against the Palestinian People.
The remaining %22 of the land of Palestine, including East Jerusalem, fell under Israeli occupation in 1967, in direct violation of International Law.
Now, Israel’s illegitimate settlements, and its apartheid Wall turned the territories into isolated cantons.
Israel continues to build and expand its illegitimate settlements, an issue that resembles the biggest obstacle to peace talks, in addition to its refusal to recognize the internationally guaranteed Palestinian rights of statehood and independence.
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In 1977, the General Assembly called for the annual observance of 29 November as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People (resolution 32/40 B).
On that day, in 1947, the Assembly adopted the resolution on the partition of Palestine (resolution 181 (II))
In resolution 60/37 of 1 December 2005, the Assembly requested the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and the Division for Palestinian Rights, as part of the observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on 29 November, to continue to organize an annual exhibit on Palestinian rights or a cultural event in cooperation with the Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine to the UN.
The observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People also encouraged Member States to continue to give the widest support and publicity to the observance of the Day of Solidarity. --- UN
The UN said it will be working with various governments, organizations and civil society institutions in 2014 to ensure the urgently needed support to the Palestinian people.
In a message read on his behalf, UN Secretary General Ban ki-moon, called on world countries to translate their solidarity with the Palestinian people by working together for justice and peace.
The message of ki-moon stated that Israel’s occupation of the rest of historic Palestine in 1967 must end, and stressed on the importance of establishing a sovereign, independent and viable Palestinian State on the 1967 borders, “living side by side in peace with Israel”.
It affirmed that Jerusalem must be the capital of the two states after achieving arrangements “acceptable by all parties”, and stressed on the urgency of finding a solution for millions of Palestinian refugees displaced by Israel starting before and during its establishment in %78 percent of the historic land of Palestine in 1948.
“We cannot afford to lose the current moment of opportunity,” Ban Ki-moon said in his message, “The goal remains clear – an end to the occupation that started in 1967 and the creation of a sovereign, independent, and viable State of Palestine based, living side by side in peace with a secure State of Israel".
In November of 2012, the United Nations General Assembly voted in favor of granting Palestine an observer status, a move that indirectly resembled a UN recognition of Palestine as a state.
The vote passed by 138 votes, while nine including the US voted against, and 41 countries absented.
Israel and the United States were angered by the move, and considered it “counterproductive”. Israel then stopped the transfer of tax money it collects on behalf of the Palestinians on border terminals, and the US froze its financial support.
Israel and its allies are attempting to prevent the Palestinians from joining the International Criminal Court (ICC), as joining the ICC gives the Palestinian Authority the chance to sue Israel for war crimes against the Palestinian People.
The remaining %22 of the land of Palestine, including East Jerusalem, fell under Israeli occupation in 1967, in direct violation of International Law.
Now, Israel’s illegitimate settlements, and its apartheid Wall turned the territories into isolated cantons.
Israel continues to build and expand its illegitimate settlements, an issue that resembles the biggest obstacle to peace talks, in addition to its refusal to recognize the internationally guaranteed Palestinian rights of statehood and independence.
-----
In 1977, the General Assembly called for the annual observance of 29 November as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People (resolution 32/40 B).
On that day, in 1947, the Assembly adopted the resolution on the partition of Palestine (resolution 181 (II))
In resolution 60/37 of 1 December 2005, the Assembly requested the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and the Division for Palestinian Rights, as part of the observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on 29 November, to continue to organize an annual exhibit on Palestinian rights or a cultural event in cooperation with the Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine to the UN.
The observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People also encouraged Member States to continue to give the widest support and publicity to the observance of the Day of Solidarity. --- UN
26 nov 2013
Palestinian premier in Gaza Ismail Haneyya reached his Jordanian counterpart Abdullah Al-Nassur over the phone and invited him to visit Gaza Strip. Haneyya’s office said that both men discussed bilateral relations and regional developments in the telephone contact on Monday.
It said that Haneyya briefed Nassur on Israeli violations against the Palestinian people such as Judaization of Jerusalem, settlement activity, and the raids on Gaza.
Haneyya said that the Israeli blockade on Gaza had led to numerous crises in the health, environment, and other humanitarian sectors.
The Palestinian premier asked Nassur to reactivate the work of the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization (JHCO), pointing to its appreciated charitable role in service of the Palestinian people.
Haneyya also asked for upgrading the Jordanian field hospital in Gaza and increasing medical and logistics support for it.
Haneyya invited Nassur to attend the inauguration of the Jordanian field hospital’s expansion project next April. Haneyya reiterated rejection of all re-settlement projects of Palestinian refugees and insistence on returning those refugees to their homeland.
For his part, Nassur promised that JHCO would resume work in Gaza and said that his country was ready to boost its support for the field hospital.
It said that Haneyya briefed Nassur on Israeli violations against the Palestinian people such as Judaization of Jerusalem, settlement activity, and the raids on Gaza.
Haneyya said that the Israeli blockade on Gaza had led to numerous crises in the health, environment, and other humanitarian sectors.
The Palestinian premier asked Nassur to reactivate the work of the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization (JHCO), pointing to its appreciated charitable role in service of the Palestinian people.
Haneyya also asked for upgrading the Jordanian field hospital in Gaza and increasing medical and logistics support for it.
Haneyya invited Nassur to attend the inauguration of the Jordanian field hospital’s expansion project next April. Haneyya reiterated rejection of all re-settlement projects of Palestinian refugees and insistence on returning those refugees to their homeland.
For his part, Nassur promised that JHCO would resume work in Gaza and said that his country was ready to boost its support for the field hospital.
24 nov 2013
A spokesman for the ICC said that Palestine's membership has become possible after it became an observing member of the UN, World Bulletin reported. "Palestine's membership has become possible after it became an observing member of the United Nations," Fadi Abdullah told a lecture at the National Library in the Moroccan capital Rabat.
Palestine became the 194 member of the UN in November 2012 after 138 member-states voted in favor of its application, with the abstention of forty one countries and the opposition of nine.
Abdullah, a Lebanese rights advocate, noted that only four Arab countries are signatories of the Rome Statue.
The Hague-based ICC is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
It was created by the Rome Statute which came into effect on 1 July 2002.
Palestine became the 194 member of the UN in November 2012 after 138 member-states voted in favor of its application, with the abstention of forty one countries and the opposition of nine.
Abdullah, a Lebanese rights advocate, noted that only four Arab countries are signatories of the Rome Statue.
The Hague-based ICC is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
It was created by the Rome Statute which came into effect on 1 July 2002.
The Hamas Movement accused the Palestinian Authority (PA) and its security apparatuses of involvement in the incitement conspiracy with some Egyptian media outlets against the Palestinian people and their resistance in the Gaza Strip. This came in remarks made by its spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri, commenting on accusations made by the Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram about the involvement of Khairat Al-Shater, the deputy head of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood group, and Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, in the Sinai events.
Abu Zuhri affirmed in a press release that these documents contained lies and unfounded formation.
"The documents which Al-Ahram newspaper relied on were issued by the Palestinian intelligence apparatus of Mahmoud Abbas, as these documents held the letterhead and logo of the apparatus and were signed by PA security leaders living in Ramallah and some others who live in Egypt," Abu Zuhri stated.
The spokesman added that such fabricated documents vindicated further the size of the conspiracy against the Palestinian people and their resistance.
In another incident, the spokeswoman for the Palestinian government in Gaza Isra Al-Mudalal accused the Egyptian media of distorting a statement she had given as an ordinary person about Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi before she held her current post.
Mudalal affirmed in a press release in response to news claims published on Saturday by Al-Masri newspaper that what had been written in this newspaper about a personal view of hers contained contradictions and was edited unprofessionally.
She stressed that the staff of the Palestinian government are not allowed to interfere in the internal affairs of the other countries or make remarks about their internal events.
"This interview happened personally before I assumed my duties as the spokeswoman of the Palestinian government in Gaza, and the nature of the interview was about personal views," she underlined.
Abu Zuhri affirmed in a press release that these documents contained lies and unfounded formation.
"The documents which Al-Ahram newspaper relied on were issued by the Palestinian intelligence apparatus of Mahmoud Abbas, as these documents held the letterhead and logo of the apparatus and were signed by PA security leaders living in Ramallah and some others who live in Egypt," Abu Zuhri stated.
The spokesman added that such fabricated documents vindicated further the size of the conspiracy against the Palestinian people and their resistance.
In another incident, the spokeswoman for the Palestinian government in Gaza Isra Al-Mudalal accused the Egyptian media of distorting a statement she had given as an ordinary person about Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi before she held her current post.
Mudalal affirmed in a press release in response to news claims published on Saturday by Al-Masri newspaper that what had been written in this newspaper about a personal view of hers contained contradictions and was edited unprofessionally.
She stressed that the staff of the Palestinian government are not allowed to interfere in the internal affairs of the other countries or make remarks about their internal events.
"This interview happened personally before I assumed my duties as the spokeswoman of the Palestinian government in Gaza, and the nature of the interview was about personal views," she underlined.
23 nov 2013
Senior member of Hamas's political bureau Mousa Abu Marzouk said that the Palestinian reconciliation efforts have been deferred until the end of the "false pregnancy period," in reference to the current peace talks between the Palestinian Authority and Israel. In remarks posted on his facebook page on Friday, Abu Marzouk stated that the repeated failure of the negotiations was detrimental to the Palestine liberation organization (PLO) and its executive committee, and the persistent wager on the Americans caused serious implications for the future of the Palestinian cause.
"Where are we going? During the [current] negotiation process, the negotiating team resigned in protest at the talks, which keep going on in vain. Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) took his decision to go to the negotiating table unilaterally without the consent of the PLO executive committee, which makes us question about the future of the PLO and its executive committee in the absence of any respect for its decisions," the Hamas official underlined.
The Hamas official also criticized the Palestinian Authority for tirelessly believing in the American pledges about a Palestinian state.
"They pledged a [Palestinian] state a dozen times and everyone knows the outcome," he said.
"If the political process, the current negotiations and the previous agreements did not stop the Zionists from settlement expansion, Judaization of Jerusalem and their racial measures against its natives, so what would be the situation and the action to be taken?" Abu Marzouk rhetorically questioned.
"Where are we going? During the [current] negotiation process, the negotiating team resigned in protest at the talks, which keep going on in vain. Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) took his decision to go to the negotiating table unilaterally without the consent of the PLO executive committee, which makes us question about the future of the PLO and its executive committee in the absence of any respect for its decisions," the Hamas official underlined.
The Hamas official also criticized the Palestinian Authority for tirelessly believing in the American pledges about a Palestinian state.
"They pledged a [Palestinian] state a dozen times and everyone knows the outcome," he said.
"If the political process, the current negotiations and the previous agreements did not stop the Zionists from settlement expansion, Judaization of Jerusalem and their racial measures against its natives, so what would be the situation and the action to be taken?" Abu Marzouk rhetorically questioned.
The Hamas Movement hailed the UN General Assembly's third committee for overwhelmingly voting for a draft resolution acknowledging the Palestinian people's right to self-determination. "We welcome this resolution, which is a step in the right direction, albeit not enough to deal with the arrogance of the Zionist occupation and its ongoing crimes against our land, people and holy sites," an official source from the Movement stated.
"We affirm that the international community and its different bodies bear responsibility for the continued Zionist aggression because of its failure to put an end to the occupation's violation of the international laws, norms and conventions," the official emphasized.
He also added that the Palestinian people and their political forces would never give up their inalienable rights or accept any partial solution to their national cause.
"We affirm that the international community and its different bodies bear responsibility for the continued Zionist aggression because of its failure to put an end to the occupation's violation of the international laws, norms and conventions," the official emphasized.
He also added that the Palestinian people and their political forces would never give up their inalienable rights or accept any partial solution to their national cause.
18 nov 2013
Lieberman's whims on Palestinian refugees
By Khalid Amayreh
The gung-ho scandal-ridden Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has accused the Palestinian people of brazenly continuing to invoke the mantra of Palestinian refugees in order to keep the Palestinian cause alive.
Lieberman, who was reinstated recently as Foreign Minister following a long legal battle, was quoted as saying that the Palestinians were using the refugees as a tool by refusing to allow them to assimilate in their host countries.
"Jews from Arab countries came to Israel as refugees, but unlike the Palestinians, they integrated and became citizens," Lieberman reportedly told lawmakers Monday.
. "Palestinians entrenched their refugee status in order to build an ethos. They do everything to prevent refugees from integrating in the countries they live in."
Well, Lieberman is trying to re-write history with his lies, lies that really go beyond Chutzpah.
There are a thousand ways to refute Lieberman's lies. The right of millions of Palestinian refugees, brutally uprooted from their homes and villages at the hands of Jewish-Zionist invaders from Eastern Europe, is deep-rooted and well-established in international law. It is not a whim or a mantra or an unsubstantiated claim or an invention. It is a sacred, legitimate right that is totally compatible with the laws of man and the laws of God.
According to article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each State. Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and return to his country.
Israel has been claiming ad nauseam that the Palestinians left their homes voluntarily, a claim that is void of any iota of truth.
However, even, for the sake of argument, if this were true, these people would still have an inalienable right to return home.
But Israel itself is an outlaw in every respect and it is really hard to invoke international law when talking about Israel. Israel and international law are an eternal oxymoron.
Indeed, Israel is a war crime or a crime against humanity par excel lance. And in truth, were it not for its brute force, Nazi-like savagery and unlimited western backing, Israel shouldn't exist as a nation-state. Hence, Israel owes its continued existence not to the power of logic or any legitimacy but rather to the logic of power. Otherwise, Israel has no moral legitimacy. It never will.
Lieberman may continue to babble about the absolutely and totally-just cause of Palestinian refugees. But the robe of lie is short, however long it may look.
Sixty-five years have passed since these peaceable but oppressed Palestinians were expelled from their homes. They have suffered so immeasurably and uninterruptedly for so long on no account other than that they didn't belong to the "correct tribe."
Hence trying to belittle or underestimate their right to return to their homes is tantamount to denying the obvious.
In any case, the refugees themselves and all honest-minded people of the world, and irrespective of their ethnicity and belief systems, will never allow this paramount right to go into oblivion or be diluted in futile political bargaining.
True, some Palestinian leaders, including Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas have made remarks undermining the paramountcy and sacredness of the right of return.
However, it must be understood that no political leader under the sun, elected or otherwise, has any right to compromise on this central issue of the Palestinian plight. The right of return is the heart and soul of the Palestinian problem.
Abbas is free to give up his personal right but he can't speak on behalf of ten million Palestinians each of whom has a long-standing score to settle with Israel. Nor does he have the right to speak on behalf of 1500,000,000 million Muslims for whom Palestine and the Aqsa Mosque is an integral part of their religious belief.
In the final analysis, we don't seek the liquidation or eradication of any people. We only want to go back home.
A final point. Lieberman and other Zionist officials keep making corrupt analogies between Palestinian refugees and so-called Jewish refugees.
But in truth there is no such a thing as Jewish refugees. The so-called Jewish refugees are fictional, not real refugees. These people were invited to Israel in order to fulfill Zionism. In numerous cases, they were coerced and terrorized into leaving their homes and native lands, as testified by Naeim Gilaadi, an Iraqi Jew, in his famous book "The Iraqi Jews."
Even in the Hebrew language, these "new comers" are still referred to as "aliya makers" or ascenders, hardly an epithet for wretched refugees.
Hence, all honest and free-minded people ought to strongly reject cheap efforts by Lieberman and other Zionist officials to turn the black into white and the big lie into a "truth."
Lieberman's whims on Palestinian refugees
By Khalid Amayreh
The gung-ho scandal-ridden Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has accused the Palestinian people of brazenly continuing to invoke the mantra of Palestinian refugees in order to keep the Palestinian cause alive.
Lieberman, who was reinstated recently as Foreign Minister following a long legal battle, was quoted as saying that the Palestinians were using the refugees as a tool by refusing to allow them to assimilate in their host countries.
"Jews from Arab countries came to Israel as refugees, but unlike the Palestinians, they integrated and became citizens," Lieberman reportedly told lawmakers Monday.
. "Palestinians entrenched their refugee status in order to build an ethos. They do everything to prevent refugees from integrating in the countries they live in."
Well, Lieberman is trying to re-write history with his lies, lies that really go beyond Chutzpah.
There are a thousand ways to refute Lieberman's lies. The right of millions of Palestinian refugees, brutally uprooted from their homes and villages at the hands of Jewish-Zionist invaders from Eastern Europe, is deep-rooted and well-established in international law. It is not a whim or a mantra or an unsubstantiated claim or an invention. It is a sacred, legitimate right that is totally compatible with the laws of man and the laws of God.
According to article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each State. Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and return to his country.
Israel has been claiming ad nauseam that the Palestinians left their homes voluntarily, a claim that is void of any iota of truth.
However, even, for the sake of argument, if this were true, these people would still have an inalienable right to return home.
But Israel itself is an outlaw in every respect and it is really hard to invoke international law when talking about Israel. Israel and international law are an eternal oxymoron.
Indeed, Israel is a war crime or a crime against humanity par excel lance. And in truth, were it not for its brute force, Nazi-like savagery and unlimited western backing, Israel shouldn't exist as a nation-state. Hence, Israel owes its continued existence not to the power of logic or any legitimacy but rather to the logic of power. Otherwise, Israel has no moral legitimacy. It never will.
Lieberman may continue to babble about the absolutely and totally-just cause of Palestinian refugees. But the robe of lie is short, however long it may look.
Sixty-five years have passed since these peaceable but oppressed Palestinians were expelled from their homes. They have suffered so immeasurably and uninterruptedly for so long on no account other than that they didn't belong to the "correct tribe."
Hence trying to belittle or underestimate their right to return to their homes is tantamount to denying the obvious.
In any case, the refugees themselves and all honest-minded people of the world, and irrespective of their ethnicity and belief systems, will never allow this paramount right to go into oblivion or be diluted in futile political bargaining.
True, some Palestinian leaders, including Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas have made remarks undermining the paramountcy and sacredness of the right of return.
However, it must be understood that no political leader under the sun, elected or otherwise, has any right to compromise on this central issue of the Palestinian plight. The right of return is the heart and soul of the Palestinian problem.
Abbas is free to give up his personal right but he can't speak on behalf of ten million Palestinians each of whom has a long-standing score to settle with Israel. Nor does he have the right to speak on behalf of 1500,000,000 million Muslims for whom Palestine and the Aqsa Mosque is an integral part of their religious belief.
In the final analysis, we don't seek the liquidation or eradication of any people. We only want to go back home.
A final point. Lieberman and other Zionist officials keep making corrupt analogies between Palestinian refugees and so-called Jewish refugees.
But in truth there is no such a thing as Jewish refugees. The so-called Jewish refugees are fictional, not real refugees. These people were invited to Israel in order to fulfill Zionism. In numerous cases, they were coerced and terrorized into leaving their homes and native lands, as testified by Naeim Gilaadi, an Iraqi Jew, in his famous book "The Iraqi Jews."
Even in the Hebrew language, these "new comers" are still referred to as "aliya makers" or ascenders, hardly an epithet for wretched refugees.
Hence, all honest and free-minded people ought to strongly reject cheap efforts by Lieberman and other Zionist officials to turn the black into white and the big lie into a "truth."
15 nov 2013
On November 15, 1988, the Palestinian National Council, then led by late President Yasser Arafat, declared the independence of the State of Palestine on the 1967 border. This was the historic Palestinian compromise: we accepted that our state would exist on only 22 percent of our historic homeland. Israel responded by colonizing more of our land and entrenching its control over our country. The possibility of a two-state solution is quickly fading away. The international community must act decisively in order to salvage the prospects of a just and lasting peace.
November 15, 1988: The Declaration of Independence of the State of Palestine
The Declaration contains an overt acceptance that "the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181, of 1947, which partitioned Palestine into two states [...] provides the legal basis for the right of the Palestinian Arab people to national sovereignty and independence." Our recognition of the authority of Resolution 181, combined with our acknowledgment (in the same session of the PNC) of UN Security Council Resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) as the basis for settling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, signaled our formal acceptance of the two-state solution.
In the twenty-five years since the Declaration was made, we have campaigned vigorously for an end to Israeli occupation and the attainment of a two-state solution on the 1967 border, including the UN recognition of the State of Palestine as a "nonmember state" on November 29th, 2012. In 1991, three years after our Declaration of Independence, we entered negotiations with Israelis in Madrid. Beginning with the Oslo Accords in September 1993, we signed numerous agreements with the State of Israel in hopes of ending decades of occupation, colonization, oppression and exile.
However, since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence, Israel has strengthened its control over the occupied State of Palestine. While we worked on building our independent state, Israel continued its colonization of our land. In 1989, there were 189,900 Israeli settlers living in the Palestine. Today, the population of Israeli settlers is over half a million. Meanwhile, the construction of settlement-related infrastructure, such as the network of settler bypass roads and tunnels, the Jerusalem Light Rail and the Annexation Wall that snakes in and out of the occupied West Bank, serve both to strengthen links between Israel and its illegal settlements in Palestine and to disrupt or destroy the ability of Palestinians to travel between their communities or to reach their schools, hospitals, families, work, places of worship and arable land.
The international community's recognition of the State of Palestine on all of the territory occupied by Israel in 1967 is an important first step. Beyond recognizing, States have responsibilities when confronted with serious breaches of international law, even if they are not directly party to it. Specifically, all states are obliged not to recognize as lawful a situation arising from a breach to international law, not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the illegal situation, as well as a duty to respect and promote the right to self-determination. By allowing trade with settlements or any other connection with the Israeli settlement enterprise, members of the international community are implicitly recognizing a situation arising from Israel's violations of international law, effectively rendering aid or assistance in maintaining an illegal situation, and in the process contributing to the denial of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.
25 years after the Palestinian Declaration of Independence, our historic compromise, the international community must assume its responsibility in order to end Israel's culture of impunity by reaching a just and lasting peace, including the establishment of a free, sovereign and democratic State of Palestine on the 1967 border with East Jerusalem as its capital as well as reaching a solution to all final status issues based on international law.
Source: PLO-Negotiations Affairs Department
Link to the Declaration of Independence
November 15, 1988: The Declaration of Independence of the State of Palestine
The Declaration contains an overt acceptance that "the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181, of 1947, which partitioned Palestine into two states [...] provides the legal basis for the right of the Palestinian Arab people to national sovereignty and independence." Our recognition of the authority of Resolution 181, combined with our acknowledgment (in the same session of the PNC) of UN Security Council Resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) as the basis for settling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, signaled our formal acceptance of the two-state solution.
In the twenty-five years since the Declaration was made, we have campaigned vigorously for an end to Israeli occupation and the attainment of a two-state solution on the 1967 border, including the UN recognition of the State of Palestine as a "nonmember state" on November 29th, 2012. In 1991, three years after our Declaration of Independence, we entered negotiations with Israelis in Madrid. Beginning with the Oslo Accords in September 1993, we signed numerous agreements with the State of Israel in hopes of ending decades of occupation, colonization, oppression and exile.
However, since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence, Israel has strengthened its control over the occupied State of Palestine. While we worked on building our independent state, Israel continued its colonization of our land. In 1989, there were 189,900 Israeli settlers living in the Palestine. Today, the population of Israeli settlers is over half a million. Meanwhile, the construction of settlement-related infrastructure, such as the network of settler bypass roads and tunnels, the Jerusalem Light Rail and the Annexation Wall that snakes in and out of the occupied West Bank, serve both to strengthen links between Israel and its illegal settlements in Palestine and to disrupt or destroy the ability of Palestinians to travel between their communities or to reach their schools, hospitals, families, work, places of worship and arable land.
The international community's recognition of the State of Palestine on all of the territory occupied by Israel in 1967 is an important first step. Beyond recognizing, States have responsibilities when confronted with serious breaches of international law, even if they are not directly party to it. Specifically, all states are obliged not to recognize as lawful a situation arising from a breach to international law, not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the illegal situation, as well as a duty to respect and promote the right to self-determination. By allowing trade with settlements or any other connection with the Israeli settlement enterprise, members of the international community are implicitly recognizing a situation arising from Israel's violations of international law, effectively rendering aid or assistance in maintaining an illegal situation, and in the process contributing to the denial of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.
25 years after the Palestinian Declaration of Independence, our historic compromise, the international community must assume its responsibility in order to end Israel's culture of impunity by reaching a just and lasting peace, including the establishment of a free, sovereign and democratic State of Palestine on the 1967 border with East Jerusalem as its capital as well as reaching a solution to all final status issues based on international law.
Source: PLO-Negotiations Affairs Department
Link to the Declaration of Independence
Minister of Awqaf and Religious Affairs, Dr. Ismail Radwan, said that Shale stones battle waged by the Palestinian resistance and Israeli enemy proved to everyone that the resistance option is the only way to liberate Jerusalem, Al-Aqsa Mosque, Palestine, and the prisoners. Shale stone battle represents a milestone in the history of conflict with the Israeli occupation, he said.
He added that Shalestone battle confirmed resistance option's victory and the failure of Israeli schemes.
Despite all Israeli plots and aggressions, Palestinian people remained steadfast along with the Palestinian resistance that managed to shell Israeli targets, Radwan said.
He pointed out to the Palestinian Government steadfastness that managed to provide security and protection to its people despite the targeting of its ministries and institutions.
Radwan called on the PA government in Ramallah to stop persecuting Palestinian resistance in the West Bank, and to stop the absurd negotiations and security coordination, and to stand by resistance and Palestinian people.
He added that Shalestone battle confirmed resistance option's victory and the failure of Israeli schemes.
Despite all Israeli plots and aggressions, Palestinian people remained steadfast along with the Palestinian resistance that managed to shell Israeli targets, Radwan said.
He pointed out to the Palestinian Government steadfastness that managed to provide security and protection to its people despite the targeting of its ministries and institutions.
Radwan called on the PA government in Ramallah to stop persecuting Palestinian resistance in the West Bank, and to stop the absurd negotiations and security coordination, and to stand by resistance and Palestinian people.
13 nov 2013
The Gaza government has strongly condemned Abbas's statement in Cairo, saying that it expresses hatred towards a large part of the Palestinian people. In its press release issued on Tuesday, Gaza government stated that such statements confirm that Abbas is not fit to lead his people.
"People never realized how dangerous Hamas was until the Muslim Brotherhood fell in Egypt," Abbas said during his visit to Cairo. He also instigated against Gaza tunnels which provide the besieged strip with its human basic needs.
On the other hand, the government renewed its call to form a Palestinian national inquiry commission on the assassination of Arafat and to prosecute the criminals.
The government confirmed its total rejection of the absurd negotiations with the Israeli authorities which "provides a cover to the continued and escalated crimes and settlement construction".
Concerning Rafah crossing, the government called on Egyptian authorities to open the crossing permanently especially that hundreds of patients need to travel for treatment in Egypt, in addition to hundreds of students who need to travel to their universities abroad.
Following its weekly meeting, Gaza government called on international human rights organizations to intervene for the release of patient prisoners especially Dirar Abu Sisi, Naim Shawamra, and Mutassim Raddad whose health condition has dramatically deteriorated.
The government condemned the continued detention of 400 Palestinian refugees and 250 Palestinian children, who fled the ongoing conflict in Syria, in Egyptian prisons.
Gaza government stated that considerable efforts have been made to solve power crisis in the besieged strip, praising the ongoing Qatari and Turkish efforts in solving the crisis.
"People never realized how dangerous Hamas was until the Muslim Brotherhood fell in Egypt," Abbas said during his visit to Cairo. He also instigated against Gaza tunnels which provide the besieged strip with its human basic needs.
On the other hand, the government renewed its call to form a Palestinian national inquiry commission on the assassination of Arafat and to prosecute the criminals.
The government confirmed its total rejection of the absurd negotiations with the Israeli authorities which "provides a cover to the continued and escalated crimes and settlement construction".
Concerning Rafah crossing, the government called on Egyptian authorities to open the crossing permanently especially that hundreds of patients need to travel for treatment in Egypt, in addition to hundreds of students who need to travel to their universities abroad.
Following its weekly meeting, Gaza government called on international human rights organizations to intervene for the release of patient prisoners especially Dirar Abu Sisi, Naim Shawamra, and Mutassim Raddad whose health condition has dramatically deteriorated.
The government condemned the continued detention of 400 Palestinian refugees and 250 Palestinian children, who fled the ongoing conflict in Syria, in Egyptian prisons.
Gaza government stated that considerable efforts have been made to solve power crisis in the besieged strip, praising the ongoing Qatari and Turkish efforts in solving the crisis.
12 nov 2013
Palestinian Pesident Mahmoud Abbas has told the Palestinian Security services to actively prevent a 3rd Intifada, Maariv daily newspaper reported.
The newspaper said that if a 3rd intifada is to be launched, Israel will target and attack the PA, and added that the PA already prevented several demonstrations that protested the Israeli occupation, in an attempt to prevent a deterioration in the political situation.
According to the newspaper, Palestinian officials believe that there have been many attempts to bring the West Bank into chaos, in a way that serves various political sides, including Hamas.
Palestinian officials also realize that the Israeli right-wing government has a potential interest in seeing the West Bank situation deteriorate, in order to escape from the international pressures to stop settlement expansion.
The newspaper added that majority of Palestinians are against a 3rd intifada, given the economic and political situation, which will help with controlling the situation in the West Bank.
The newspaper said that if a 3rd intifada is to be launched, Israel will target and attack the PA, and added that the PA already prevented several demonstrations that protested the Israeli occupation, in an attempt to prevent a deterioration in the political situation.
According to the newspaper, Palestinian officials believe that there have been many attempts to bring the West Bank into chaos, in a way that serves various political sides, including Hamas.
Palestinian officials also realize that the Israeli right-wing government has a potential interest in seeing the West Bank situation deteriorate, in order to escape from the international pressures to stop settlement expansion.
The newspaper added that majority of Palestinians are against a 3rd intifada, given the economic and political situation, which will help with controlling the situation in the West Bank.
11 nov 2013
The Hamas Movement said that Tamarud Movement does not exist in the Gaza Strip and accused Arab and European intelligence agencies of attempting to create it in order to destabilize the situation in the Strip. Its spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told the Jordanian newspaper Assabil that Tamarud is desperately trying to recreate chaos in Gaza, denying at the same time its existence in Gaza.
Abu Zuhri also accused Arab and European intelligence agencies of being behind this Movement and conspiring against Gaza, stressing that their conspiracy against Gaza would reap nothing but failure.
The Palestinian interior ministry in Gaza had revealed last month during a news conference a video recording showing a masked man confessing to his cooperation with the Israeli occupation and his coordination with Palestinian Authority officers to carry out the Tamarud group plot and create chaos in Gaza.
Abu Zuhri also accused Arab and European intelligence agencies of being behind this Movement and conspiring against Gaza, stressing that their conspiracy against Gaza would reap nothing but failure.
The Palestinian interior ministry in Gaza had revealed last month during a news conference a video recording showing a masked man confessing to his cooperation with the Israeli occupation and his coordination with Palestinian Authority officers to carry out the Tamarud group plot and create chaos in Gaza.
"The Israeli prime minister expressed his skepticism on the Palestinian leadership's willingness to reach a peace agreement with (Israel)", Israeli media reported. According to Israeli daily JPost, he criticized the international community's dealing with the Palestinians [negotiators] "it cannot be that the Palestinians are forever pampered by the international community,"
"If the Palestinians expect us to recognize a Palestinian state for Palestinian people, they must recognize a Jewish state for Jewish people," he said.
While reiterating his call for the Palestinian leadership to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, Netanyahu voiced his hope that the current round of US-brokered peace talks will result in a "historic compromise" between the two sides.
"Cold peace is better than hot war, but I'm hoping for warm peace," he said.
"If the Palestinians expect us to recognize a Palestinian state for Palestinian people, they must recognize a Jewish state for Jewish people," he said.
While reiterating his call for the Palestinian leadership to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, Netanyahu voiced his hope that the current round of US-brokered peace talks will result in a "historic compromise" between the two sides.
"Cold peace is better than hot war, but I'm hoping for warm peace," he said.
9 nov 2013
Abbas and Mansour in a previous meeting
Egypt's interim President Adly Mansour will meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas Sunday, an Egyptian diplomat said.
Abbas's visit, the source says, comes to reaffirm the strength of relations between the two sides.
Egyptian ambassador to the Palestinian Authority (PA) Yasser Othman said we invited the PA President Mahmoud Abbas to Cairo to confirm the Egyptian support for President Abbas and to thank him on his stance in support of the Egyptian people's June 30 revolution,"
In a statement to the Al-Ayyam daily, Othman said "we appreciate the PA's position and certainly will forget those who stood with and backed Egypt,..."
"The visit comes up a critical phase of the peace process and thus we would confirm our stance siding with the President Abbas's stance and rejecting Israeli measures particularly the settlement activities...," he added, stressing that "Egypt had sent an official invitation to Abbas,"
It also, he pointed out, will take on Palestinian reconciliation and ways to push it forward; moreover, the visit will discuss the situation in Gaza and how to work regarding the siege imposed on it and make it easier for our Palestinian brothers,"
"Egypt and the Palestinian leadership are keen to lift the Gaza siege and thus will be put on the table every possible action may help the Palestinian citizens [in Gaza]," he said.
Al Jazeera Arabic had quoted European diplomatic sources as saying that "President Abbas devoted his last tour in Europe to warn of any decline in support of the July coup in Egypt led by Army Chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi,"
Aljazeera.net reported Thursday well-informed European diplomats as saying "Abbas solid firmly defended the Egyptian state after the July 3 coup,"
"Italian officials were surprised by Abbas's 'fierce defense' of the coup in Egypt and his statement on the need to support it during the current period, while condoning even mentioning the plight of the Palestinian refugees drowned off the Maltese shores after fleeing Syria," according to the Qatari Network.
Egypt's interim President Adly Mansour will meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas Sunday, an Egyptian diplomat said.
Abbas's visit, the source says, comes to reaffirm the strength of relations between the two sides.
Egyptian ambassador to the Palestinian Authority (PA) Yasser Othman said we invited the PA President Mahmoud Abbas to Cairo to confirm the Egyptian support for President Abbas and to thank him on his stance in support of the Egyptian people's June 30 revolution,"
In a statement to the Al-Ayyam daily, Othman said "we appreciate the PA's position and certainly will forget those who stood with and backed Egypt,..."
"The visit comes up a critical phase of the peace process and thus we would confirm our stance siding with the President Abbas's stance and rejecting Israeli measures particularly the settlement activities...," he added, stressing that "Egypt had sent an official invitation to Abbas,"
It also, he pointed out, will take on Palestinian reconciliation and ways to push it forward; moreover, the visit will discuss the situation in Gaza and how to work regarding the siege imposed on it and make it easier for our Palestinian brothers,"
"Egypt and the Palestinian leadership are keen to lift the Gaza siege and thus will be put on the table every possible action may help the Palestinian citizens [in Gaza]," he said.
Al Jazeera Arabic had quoted European diplomatic sources as saying that "President Abbas devoted his last tour in Europe to warn of any decline in support of the July coup in Egypt led by Army Chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi,"
Aljazeera.net reported Thursday well-informed European diplomats as saying "Abbas solid firmly defended the Egyptian state after the July 3 coup,"
"Italian officials were surprised by Abbas's 'fierce defense' of the coup in Egypt and his statement on the need to support it during the current period, while condoning even mentioning the plight of the Palestinian refugees drowned off the Maltese shores after fleeing Syria," according to the Qatari Network.
Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) received a European delegation that arrived in Gaza Strip to check on the humanitarian situation in the besieged enclave especially after the power crisis and the tightening of the siege. PCHR President, Raji Surani, received on Thursday the European delegates in the center headquarters and briefed them on the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, calling on them to pressure their countries to lift Gaza siege.
The delegation included General Consul of Italy to the Palestinian Authority Davide La Cecilia and his deputy, head of the German representative office Barbara Wolf, and head of cultural affairs in the German office Claudia Bosch, in addition to French Consul Herve Magro.
Surani briefed the Consuls and European countries' representatives on the serious consequences of the Israeli illegal siege on Gaza Strip.
During the meeting, Surani pointed to the international silence towards Gaza siege, while freedom of movement of 2 million people in the strip remains restricted in violation to international humanitarian laws and Oslo agreement under which West Bank, Jerusalem and Gaza Strip would be treated as a "single territorial unit".
Head of PCHR also briefed the delegation on the power and fuel crisis and its implication on transportation and all life services in the Strip.
He held the Israeli occupation political and legal responsibilities for Gaza suffering, adding that there is a tremendous effort being made in order to facilitate the besieged people's lives.
He pointed out that although 20 years have passed since the Oslo Accords, peace has not been achieved, by contrast violations to the humanitarian and international law have escalated.
The human rights lawyer and founder of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, Raji Sourani, who won recently the Right Livelihood Award, commonly known as the Alternative Nobel Prize, pointed to the implications of Israeli policy against Palestinians, including settlement construction, Judaization, ethnic cleansing in Jerusalem, Apartheid Wall, unfair siege, and confiscation and demolition orders.
The delegation included General Consul of Italy to the Palestinian Authority Davide La Cecilia and his deputy, head of the German representative office Barbara Wolf, and head of cultural affairs in the German office Claudia Bosch, in addition to French Consul Herve Magro.
Surani briefed the Consuls and European countries' representatives on the serious consequences of the Israeli illegal siege on Gaza Strip.
During the meeting, Surani pointed to the international silence towards Gaza siege, while freedom of movement of 2 million people in the strip remains restricted in violation to international humanitarian laws and Oslo agreement under which West Bank, Jerusalem and Gaza Strip would be treated as a "single territorial unit".
Head of PCHR also briefed the delegation on the power and fuel crisis and its implication on transportation and all life services in the Strip.
He held the Israeli occupation political and legal responsibilities for Gaza suffering, adding that there is a tremendous effort being made in order to facilitate the besieged people's lives.
He pointed out that although 20 years have passed since the Oslo Accords, peace has not been achieved, by contrast violations to the humanitarian and international law have escalated.
The human rights lawyer and founder of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, Raji Sourani, who won recently the Right Livelihood Award, commonly known as the Alternative Nobel Prize, pointed to the implications of Israeli policy against Palestinians, including settlement construction, Judaization, ethnic cleansing in Jerusalem, Apartheid Wall, unfair siege, and confiscation and demolition orders.
7 nov 2013
Dr. Mousa Abu Marzouk, member of Hamas Political Bureau, confirmed that Palestinian reconciliation is still stalled due to American and Israeli obstacles, denying Hamas' responsibility. The senior member of Hamas politburo explained on his Facebook page the reasons behind halting Palestinian national reconciliation, saying that the US and Israeli opposition is behind stalling reconciliation process in addition to some Palestinian parties' unwillingness to bear the burden of Gaza.
Hamas has not rejected conducting elections especially that Palestinian and Israeli polls confirm Hamas's growing popularity among Palestinian people, he pointed out.
Abu Marzouk renewed Hamas's neutral position towards Egyptian crisis, condemning the ongoing incitement against the movement that claims its intervention into Egyptian internal affairs.
He praised Abbas's position concerning the Syrian crisis that strives to stem the blood of Syrians.
Hamas has not rejected conducting elections especially that Palestinian and Israeli polls confirm Hamas's growing popularity among Palestinian people, he pointed out.
Abu Marzouk renewed Hamas's neutral position towards Egyptian crisis, condemning the ongoing incitement against the movement that claims its intervention into Egyptian internal affairs.
He praised Abbas's position concerning the Syrian crisis that strives to stem the blood of Syrians.
The newly appointed FCO Minister for the Middle East, Rt Hon Hugh Robertson MP, visited the Occupied Palestinian Territories as part of his first regional visit since his appointment. He also visited Israel on his trip, the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office said in a press release Wednesday.
The trip was an opportunity to see the situation on the ground, to take stock of progress in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations and to strengthen further the ties between the British and Palestinian peoples.
The Minister was briefed on the impact of the Israeli occupation and the range of human rights issues facing the Palestinian people. He visited Al Walajeh, a village located northwest of Bethlehem. Touring the village, Minister Robertson saw firsthand the impact of the separation barrier, settlement expansion and house demolitions on the daily lives of the local community.
Minister Robertson also visited the Salesian Cremisan School, a primary school located in the Cremisan Valley, where he heard about the impact of the separation barrier on the movement and access of the school's pupils. The Minister also visited Jerusalem's Old City including the Haram Al Sharif, following discussions in London with his Majesty King Abdullah II.
The Minister held a number of high level political meetings including with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Professor Rami Al Hamdallah, Palestinian Foreign Minister Dr. Riyad Al Malki, and Palestinian Chief Negotiator Dr. Saeb Erekat. The Minister reiterated Britain's strong support for ongoing peace negotiations, expressed concern at the deteriorating situation on the ground and underlined the importance of building strong, effective and accountable institutions for the future Palestinian state.
Following his meetings, Minister Hugh Robertson said:
"The Foreign Secretary has made clear that there is no more urgent priority in 2013 than the Middle East Peace Process. This is my first visit to the region in my new capacity. It has made absolutely clear to me the vital urgency of progress.
"I salute the courageous decisions taken by both the Israeli and Palestinian leaderships to re-enter final status negotiations. I made clear to President Abbas Britain's strong support for a two-state solution based on 1967 borders with agreed land swaps, with Jerusalem as the capital of two states.
"I am deeply concerned about the deteriorating situation on the ground which I have seen for myself during this visit. I made clear to President Abbas that Britain views settlements as illegal. Britain has consistently condemned settlement announcements. The most recent announcement of 1889 illegal settlement units is deeply concerning.
"I also discussed the situation of Jerusalem's holy sites with the President. We agreed that, given the particular sensitivities, provocative actions in these holy sites pose a risk to the peace process and must be avoided.
"I encouraged President Abbas to show continued courage despite these challenges. With strong leadership from the United States, bold decisions from the parties, and robust support from Britain and the wider international community, we must seize the opportunity of the current peace talks to end this conflict once and for all."
The trip was an opportunity to see the situation on the ground, to take stock of progress in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations and to strengthen further the ties between the British and Palestinian peoples.
The Minister was briefed on the impact of the Israeli occupation and the range of human rights issues facing the Palestinian people. He visited Al Walajeh, a village located northwest of Bethlehem. Touring the village, Minister Robertson saw firsthand the impact of the separation barrier, settlement expansion and house demolitions on the daily lives of the local community.
Minister Robertson also visited the Salesian Cremisan School, a primary school located in the Cremisan Valley, where he heard about the impact of the separation barrier on the movement and access of the school's pupils. The Minister also visited Jerusalem's Old City including the Haram Al Sharif, following discussions in London with his Majesty King Abdullah II.
The Minister held a number of high level political meetings including with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Professor Rami Al Hamdallah, Palestinian Foreign Minister Dr. Riyad Al Malki, and Palestinian Chief Negotiator Dr. Saeb Erekat. The Minister reiterated Britain's strong support for ongoing peace negotiations, expressed concern at the deteriorating situation on the ground and underlined the importance of building strong, effective and accountable institutions for the future Palestinian state.
Following his meetings, Minister Hugh Robertson said:
"The Foreign Secretary has made clear that there is no more urgent priority in 2013 than the Middle East Peace Process. This is my first visit to the region in my new capacity. It has made absolutely clear to me the vital urgency of progress.
"I salute the courageous decisions taken by both the Israeli and Palestinian leaderships to re-enter final status negotiations. I made clear to President Abbas Britain's strong support for a two-state solution based on 1967 borders with agreed land swaps, with Jerusalem as the capital of two states.
"I am deeply concerned about the deteriorating situation on the ground which I have seen for myself during this visit. I made clear to President Abbas that Britain views settlements as illegal. Britain has consistently condemned settlement announcements. The most recent announcement of 1889 illegal settlement units is deeply concerning.
"I also discussed the situation of Jerusalem's holy sites with the President. We agreed that, given the particular sensitivities, provocative actions in these holy sites pose a risk to the peace process and must be avoided.
"I encouraged President Abbas to show continued courage despite these challenges. With strong leadership from the United States, bold decisions from the parties, and robust support from Britain and the wider international community, we must seize the opportunity of the current peace talks to end this conflict once and for all."
5 nov 2013
Ahrar Center for Prisoners' Studies and Human Rights strongly denounced the Israeli heinous crime against the martyr Hassan al-Turabi, 22, who was handed over to his family nearly dead after ten months of his arrest. The center called on PA to prosecute the occupation authorities for the deliberate medical negligence policy against patient prisoners.
The martyr Hassen al-Tourabi was arrested since 1 January 2013 regardless his health situation where he suffers cancer, Ahrar center said.
He was transferred from Megiddo prison to Afula prison where he slipped into a coma after his health condition deteriorated, the center added.
The occupation authorities started then asking al-Tourabi family to pay his treatment costs in an attempt to disclaime any responsibility.
Hassan al-Tourabi died19 days after being handed to his family where he was in very serious health condition since the first day of his release.
Fuad al-Khuffash, the center's director, stressed the need to work for prosecuting the occupation for its crimes against Palestinian patient prisoners.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian government in Gaza Strip denounced the Israeli racist and terrorist policy against Palestinian prisoners most recently was the martyrdom of Hassan al-Tourabi due to the Israeli deliberate medical negligence.
The government said that the occupation bears full responsibility for Hassan's martyrdom where he didn't receive any medical care especially that he suffers cancer, saying that it came as part of the Israeli systematic torture policy against Palestinian prisoners.
The Gaza government called on PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas to halt negotiations immediately and to prosecute the occupation authorities in international courts.
It also called on Palestinian, Arab and Islamic peoples to act urgently and effectively to raise prisoners' issue in international forums to end the plight of the Palestinian prisoners.
The government demanded all international organizations, human rights institutions and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League and contracting parties of Fourth Geneva Convention to intervene immediately to put an end to Israeli violations against prisoners and to work for their release.
The martyr Hassen al-Tourabi was arrested since 1 January 2013 regardless his health situation where he suffers cancer, Ahrar center said.
He was transferred from Megiddo prison to Afula prison where he slipped into a coma after his health condition deteriorated, the center added.
The occupation authorities started then asking al-Tourabi family to pay his treatment costs in an attempt to disclaime any responsibility.
Hassan al-Tourabi died19 days after being handed to his family where he was in very serious health condition since the first day of his release.
Fuad al-Khuffash, the center's director, stressed the need to work for prosecuting the occupation for its crimes against Palestinian patient prisoners.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian government in Gaza Strip denounced the Israeli racist and terrorist policy against Palestinian prisoners most recently was the martyrdom of Hassan al-Tourabi due to the Israeli deliberate medical negligence.
The government said that the occupation bears full responsibility for Hassan's martyrdom where he didn't receive any medical care especially that he suffers cancer, saying that it came as part of the Israeli systematic torture policy against Palestinian prisoners.
The Gaza government called on PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas to halt negotiations immediately and to prosecute the occupation authorities in international courts.
It also called on Palestinian, Arab and Islamic peoples to act urgently and effectively to raise prisoners' issue in international forums to end the plight of the Palestinian prisoners.
The government demanded all international organizations, human rights institutions and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League and contracting parties of Fourth Geneva Convention to intervene immediately to put an end to Israeli violations against prisoners and to work for their release.
1 nov 2013
By Khalid Amayreh in occupied Jerusalem
The team of PLO representatives, who have been negotiating a possible but highly unlikely peace deal with Israel, reportedly submitted their respective resignations to Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas Thursday in protest against the latest Israeli provocations.
These provocations include, inter alia, the cold-blooded murder of two Palestinian youngsters near Jenin and in southern Gaza, approving plans to build additional 3500 settler units in the West Bank and a decision by the Israeli government to demolish more than a dozen Arab buildings in occupied Jerusalem. The demolitions, described as a brazen form of ethnic cleansing, would render hundreds of Palestinian homeless.
Israel has also disclosed plans to expel as many as 16,000 Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem, which would be the most daring move at ethnically cleansing Palestinians since 1967.
As usual, this settlement expansion and ethnic cleansing drew negative reactions from many quarters, including the usually toothless and flaccid statements from Washington and Brussels.
Predictably, Israel is flying in the face of these verbal denunciations. Israeli leaders calculate rather correctly that American and EU reactions are just disingenuous public relations gestures meant to appease the Palestinians.
Otherwise, Israel behaves as if there is a sort of tacit understanding with EU and US whereby Israel keeps up expanding settlements whereas Washington and Brussels or London or Paris for that matter- keep issuing the irksomely routine but innocuous objections..
It is really mind-boggling why the PA has not fathomed this vicious equation, the net result of which finds expression in the effective decapitation of any remaining prospects for the creation of a viable and territorially contiguous Palestinian state that is worthy of the name.
It is uncertain whether Abbas will accept the resignation of his negotiating team. But Abbas feels he has no choice but to be at the mercy of Israeli intransigence and recalcitrance. He repeatedly said that Israel and the PA, or more correctly the rapist and rape victims, must go on talking effectively for eternity.
As to the US, the pseudo honest broker, it seems it contents itself with the role of that proverbial judge who instructs the rapist and his victim to sort it out among themselves.
The PA leadership is supposed to be representing the Palestinian people. However, its utterly pathetic reactions to Israeli insolence and provocations do compromise Palestinian national dignity and underscore the pathetic negotiating position of the Palestinians..
Needless to say, doing this, compromising our national dignity, is not exactly the way to assert our rights vis-à-vis a criminal state which teaches its citizens that only the world's 10 or 12 million Jews are bona fide human beings while the rest of humanity (6.5-7 billion human beings) are beasts walking on two legs whom the Almighty created to serve the supreme race!!
I don't know how many more affronts and insults the PA will be receiving from Israel. It is possible the PA is too insensitive-or bereft of national honor- to feel these insults. Some figures within the Ramallah junta are likely to consider this ignominious discourse a form of "pragmatism and political realism"
To be sure, the PA is not without any political leverage or completely bereft of any political cards to play. The PA is performing a paramount function for Israeli security. This function, which Palestinian critics call treason, obliges the PA security agencies to work day and night to protect the security and well-being of more than 400,000 Jewish settlers living illegally and unlawfully on land that belongs to another people, the Palestinian people.
The PA can at the very least threaten to reduce the level of its security cooperation and coordination with Israel.
But the PA is unlikely to embark on such a daring feat even under the most pressing circumstances such as the partitioning or even demolition of the Aqsa Mosque.
In the final analysis, the current Palestinian leadership thinks that maintaining the "peace process," despite its scandalous flaws, overrides any other considerations. Moreover, the PA knows that its own raison d'etre is to serve Israeli security interests which it carries out to the fullest under the rubric of security coordination.
I don't know when or if the PA will wake up from its protracted hibernation. What is certain, however, is that the Palestinian people will not succumb to this disgrace for long?
The team of PLO representatives, who have been negotiating a possible but highly unlikely peace deal with Israel, reportedly submitted their respective resignations to Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas Thursday in protest against the latest Israeli provocations.
These provocations include, inter alia, the cold-blooded murder of two Palestinian youngsters near Jenin and in southern Gaza, approving plans to build additional 3500 settler units in the West Bank and a decision by the Israeli government to demolish more than a dozen Arab buildings in occupied Jerusalem. The demolitions, described as a brazen form of ethnic cleansing, would render hundreds of Palestinian homeless.
Israel has also disclosed plans to expel as many as 16,000 Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem, which would be the most daring move at ethnically cleansing Palestinians since 1967.
As usual, this settlement expansion and ethnic cleansing drew negative reactions from many quarters, including the usually toothless and flaccid statements from Washington and Brussels.
Predictably, Israel is flying in the face of these verbal denunciations. Israeli leaders calculate rather correctly that American and EU reactions are just disingenuous public relations gestures meant to appease the Palestinians.
Otherwise, Israel behaves as if there is a sort of tacit understanding with EU and US whereby Israel keeps up expanding settlements whereas Washington and Brussels or London or Paris for that matter- keep issuing the irksomely routine but innocuous objections..
It is really mind-boggling why the PA has not fathomed this vicious equation, the net result of which finds expression in the effective decapitation of any remaining prospects for the creation of a viable and territorially contiguous Palestinian state that is worthy of the name.
It is uncertain whether Abbas will accept the resignation of his negotiating team. But Abbas feels he has no choice but to be at the mercy of Israeli intransigence and recalcitrance. He repeatedly said that Israel and the PA, or more correctly the rapist and rape victims, must go on talking effectively for eternity.
As to the US, the pseudo honest broker, it seems it contents itself with the role of that proverbial judge who instructs the rapist and his victim to sort it out among themselves.
The PA leadership is supposed to be representing the Palestinian people. However, its utterly pathetic reactions to Israeli insolence and provocations do compromise Palestinian national dignity and underscore the pathetic negotiating position of the Palestinians..
Needless to say, doing this, compromising our national dignity, is not exactly the way to assert our rights vis-à-vis a criminal state which teaches its citizens that only the world's 10 or 12 million Jews are bona fide human beings while the rest of humanity (6.5-7 billion human beings) are beasts walking on two legs whom the Almighty created to serve the supreme race!!
I don't know how many more affronts and insults the PA will be receiving from Israel. It is possible the PA is too insensitive-or bereft of national honor- to feel these insults. Some figures within the Ramallah junta are likely to consider this ignominious discourse a form of "pragmatism and political realism"
To be sure, the PA is not without any political leverage or completely bereft of any political cards to play. The PA is performing a paramount function for Israeli security. This function, which Palestinian critics call treason, obliges the PA security agencies to work day and night to protect the security and well-being of more than 400,000 Jewish settlers living illegally and unlawfully on land that belongs to another people, the Palestinian people.
The PA can at the very least threaten to reduce the level of its security cooperation and coordination with Israel.
But the PA is unlikely to embark on such a daring feat even under the most pressing circumstances such as the partitioning or even demolition of the Aqsa Mosque.
In the final analysis, the current Palestinian leadership thinks that maintaining the "peace process," despite its scandalous flaws, overrides any other considerations. Moreover, the PA knows that its own raison d'etre is to serve Israeli security interests which it carries out to the fullest under the rubric of security coordination.
I don't know when or if the PA will wake up from its protracted hibernation. What is certain, however, is that the Palestinian people will not succumb to this disgrace for long?
