Palestinian civil society and national organizations release statement on Land Day aggression
Various undersigned
During the 36th year commemoration of Land Day, dozens of protesters including Dr. Mustafa Barghouti were wounded and ambulances were damaged as a result of the Israeli Occupation Forces aggression. In addition however, Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative and several other protesters were attacked by unidentified individuals. Subsequently, a meeting was held at the Palestinian NGO Network office in which a number of civil society representatives, both from West Bank and Gaza, met in order to discuss the implications of these events. All agreed that the afore mentioned attacks should not be ignored as they are clear violations of the law and unacceptable threats to the freedoms of speech and peaceful demonstration.
We, civil society representatives, members of the Palestinian Legislative Council and members of the Freedom Committee strongly condemn and deplore these cowardly acts and demand the following:
- We request from President Mahmoud Abbas the immediate creation of an independent and transparent commission of inquiry and the publication of all its findings without withholdings.
- We ask that the people behind these attacks be held accountable in a non-partisan fashion and that their actions be recognized as an unconscionable attempt to derail the peaceful popular resistance struggle.
- We call on national and Islamic factions to take a firm stand and reject the type of behavior behind the Land Day attacks and to play an active role in defending the national and Human Rights values and ensuring that such actions will not be repeated in the future.
Our main and most important goal as a nation should be national liberation. The path towards freedom is the expansion of the popular resistance struggle. That should be our only allegiance and the focus of all our efforts. Let us tell the families of the Land Day martyrs and wounded once more that our hearts and thoughts are with them. Let us ensure that these families and all Palestinians are protected from arbitrary violations of their rights from all sides, and receive the full Human, civil and social rights which are the foundations to any truly democratic nation.
Let us work together to turn the page of internal division and to restore national unity for it is indispensible to the achievement of the liberation and independence of our people.
Signatories:
Palestinian NGO Network
Freedom Committee
Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS)
Popular Campaign of Resistance to the apartheid wall
Coalition in Support of Jerusalem
Khalida Jarrar – MP
Qais Abdul Karim – MP
Bassam Salhi – MP
Shawan Jabarin
Hani Al-Masri
Khalil Shahin
Khalil Assaf
Zakaria Odeh
Dr. Mamdouh Aker
Omar Assaf
Dr. Azmi Shoaibi
Omar Barghouti
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