{"article":{"id":203176,"heading":"Solving the Fatah-Hamas Impasse","author":"Dr Mustafa Barghouthi, Forwarded by Lisa B.","created":"2007-07-18 04:12:38","modified":"2007-07-18 04:12:38","last_modified":"Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:12:38","article":"

Al Mubadara Al Wataniyyah Al Falistiniyah

Palestinian National Initiative

From, http:\/\/www.almubadara.org<\/a>

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<\/p>\n","contact":"lisalaurine@yahoo.com","link":"http:\/\/www.almubadara.org\/new\/english.php","address":"","phone":"","parent_id":0,"mime_type":"text\/plain","summary":"I was reading a news article on former Palestinian Information minister Dr Mustafa Barghouthi on An Najah University's (Nablus, Palestine) website when I stumbled upon this article on a Palestinian solution to the impasse between Fatah & Hamas below. It calls for reform of the PLO, dissolvement of the emergency gov, Hamas gov, & to end the current factionalism running rampant in territories by allowing all factions to join a new reformed government composed of other political parties: PLEASE DISTRIBUTE WIDELY","numcomment":0,"fileurl":"\/uploads\/","filesize":null,"article_url":"\/news\/2007\/07\/203176.php"},"attachments":[],"comments":[]}