Al Mubadara Al Wataniyyah Al Falistiniyah
Palestinian National Initiative
From, http://www.almubadara.org

For the implementation of Palestinian national rights
and the creation of a durable, just peace.

Joint Initiative for National Salvation by the
Palestinian National Initiative and the Popular Front
for the Liberation of Palestine
2007-07-10

The Palestinian people have reached a point of crisis
in their national struggle for self-determination, the
right of return, and the building of a democratic,
sovereign state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

This crisis is characterized by confusion between the
Occupation and internal divisions threatening the
unity of land and people both in Palestine and in the
Diaspora.

The military takeover of the Gaza Strip by Hamas has
thrown the Palestinian situation into danger and has
diverted energy and attention away from the national
struggle. Palestinians in the West Bank have reacted
to the situation in the Gaza Strip with grief, pain
and bitterness and reject the outcome of this imposed
military solution as it represents a gross departure
from the democratic process.

It must be remembered that the most important factor
in this struggle remains the Palestinian people and
their nation, not fighting over narrow factional
interests.

Because we seek democracy over factional rule and
interests, we are calling for a return to dialogue and
the language of reason in the higher national
interest.

As such, we are promoting the Initiative for National
Salvation as a national solution to the crisis. This
dialogue should not be an end in itself however, and
should not perpetuate the status quo.

In order for this dialogue to succeed and for national
unity to be re-established, there must be the
formation of a unified, temporary decision-making body
within the Palestine Liberation Organisation, which is
responsible for the Palestinian Authority and is the
sole, legitimate representative of the Palestinian
people. This interim body should include all
Palestinian political forces without exceptions, and
should apply necessary mechanisms to implement the
Cairo Declarations and the National Reconciliation
Document.

We propose the following series of integrated steps
towards achieving this:

1. The immediate cessation of all forms of incitement
through the media in order to create a healthy
environment to facilitate the success of dialogue.

2. The immediate reversal of the military takeover of
the Gaza Strip, and the dissolution of the de-facto
government in the Gaza Strip as well as the Emergency
Government in the West Bank; and the reversal of all
unilateral administrative and security decisions taken
in the West Bank and Gaza Strip since this time.

3. The formation of a transitional government on the
basis of the National Reconciliation Document and the
consensus of all political parties, that should within
a set and agreed upon time frame restore the unity of
official institutions of authority in the West Bank
and Gaza Strip, and build an independent, professional
judiciary and a reformed, de-factionalised security
force run along professional and not factional lines
to enforce the rule of law and to ensure genuine
protection and security for ordinary citizens.

4. A return to the decision of the Palestinian people,
who are the source of all authorities, by establishing
conditions to hold new presidential and legislative
elections on the basis of a system of proportional
representation to ensure a democratic exit from the
current crisis.

5. Direct, immediate action by the Higher Committee
set up following the Cairo Declaration towards
rebuilding the Palestine Liberation Organisation based
on democratic principles, and to accelerate the
process of holding new elections on a proportional
basis for the Palestine National Council to represent
all Palestinians at home and in the Diaspora.

The Initiative for National Salvation welcomes all
those who value the national interest, including
political parties, leading personalities, community
leaders, and civil society institutions to join us and
unite to express the opinion of the silent majority in
Palestinian society, to struggle against polarization
and to work for national unity.

Palestinian National Initiative
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine

Forwarded by Lisa B.
Member of Muslim Student
Association@ UOP