Urgent Appeal on: "Challenges Facing the Palestinian Cause and the Ways to Enhance National Unity"

GAZA,(August 12, 2013) – In a meeting organized by Pal-Think for Strategic Studies a number of national and Islamic figures and representatives from civil society organizations and business interests in Gaza, gathered last week in order to discuss the challenges faced by the Palestinian cause. They also drew steps towards strengthening the Palestinian national unity and came up with recommendations that can help minimize the risks that are caused by the unexpected new developments in the region in general and Egypt in particular. These initiatives fall under the continues efforts driven to strengthen the Palestinian position, locally and internationally. In the outcomes of this meeting, the attendees issued an urgent appeal to all Palestinian and Arab parties and urged them to read it and sign it.

Given the multitude of challenges and risks faced by the Palestinian cause due to the current developments in the Arab world in general, the tumultuous political landscape of the Arab Republic of Egypt and recommendations put forth by the U.S. with regards to negotiations between the Palestinian National Authority and the Israeli government, one can find that the main points of this appeal calling for attention to the following:

First: Demand that all Palestinian political forces accelerate Palestinian reconciliation efforts by appointing a number of community and popular figures to be in charge of diagnosing the real causes that hinder this goal, and to develop necessary solutions that can create pressure on both sides of the division (Fatah and Hamas) to achieve it as soon as possible.

Second: Demand that both of Fatah and Hamas to work together according to the national constants in order to ensure the success of the reconciliation process, and to put an end to the current recession through the formation of an interim government that can prepare for legislative and presidential elections. This step also includes renewing the legitimacy of the whole Palestinian political system, and aims at ensuring the implementation of all agreements that were signed between the two parties previously, without the need of any new agreements.

Third: Call to continue the reconciliation efforts in Palestine instead of Egypt, due to the preoccupation of the Egyptian leadership with their internal crises, while emphasizing on the importance of the Egyptian efforts in solving this issue.

Fourth: Demand that  all Palestinian sides take serious actions to stop any provocative language or actions against Egypt,  in order to avoid the risk of straining the historical and strategic relationship between Egypt and Palestine. Also, emphasizing the neutrality of the Palestinian position towards in the events in Egypt, which is a significant matter for Palestinians? Therefore, we, as Palestinians, must in that case strengthen the language of solidarity and support, and pay full respect for the Egyptian sovereignty.

Fifth: Supporting all the efforts for the release of Palestinian prisoners, while warning the Palestinian side from the recommencement of the negotiations with the Israeli side in a time that witnesses the absence of an internal Palestinian compatibility, a fragile Arab position and a preoccupied Egypt with its internal affairs. Moreover, there is also a lack of seriousness in the position of the international community, the U.S and the Israeli government as the building of the separation wall and the illegal settlements continues and as all signs of military occupation remains. Thus, Palestinians need to create a unified and pressuring public stance that can strengthen their position.

As the evolving events in Egypt and other Arab countries have proved that political partnership is the only solution and that political exclusion has failed utterly and caused nothing but devastating effect on communities and countries, this urgent Appeal has concluded that it is necessary for Palestinians to build a vision based on political partnership and national consensus, in order to serve the Palestinian national cause, and to restrain the Palestinian relationship with Egypt and all other Arab and Islamic nations, as well as to accelerate the reform of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), so it can revive its role in all the politically uprising Palestinian issues.