by Mark Thomas
1) Ending its occupation and colonisation of all Arab lands and dismantling the Wall;
2) Recognising the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; and
3) Respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194.
Endorsed by:
The Palestinian political parties, unions, associations, coalitions and organisations below represent the three integral parts of the people of Palestine: Palestinian refugees, Palestinians under occupation and Palestinian citizens of Israel.
Unions, Associations, Campaigns
Council of National and Islamic Forces in Palestine (Coordinating body for the major political parties in the Occupied Palestinian Territory)
Palestinian Independent Commission for Citizen’s Rights (PICCR)
Union of Arab Community Based Associations (ITTIJAH), Haifa
Forum of Palestinian NGOs in Lebanon
Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU)
General Union of Palestinian Women (GUPW)
General Union of Palestinian Teachers (GUPT)
Federation of Unions of Palestinian Universities’ Professors and Employees
Consortium of Professional Associations
Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees (UPMRC)
Health Work Committees – West Bank
Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC)
Union of Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees (PARC)
Union of Health Work Committees – Gaza (UHWC)
Union of Palestinian Farmers
Occupied Palestine and Syrian Golan Heights Advocacy Initiative (OPGAI)
General Union of Disabled Palestinians
Palestinian Federation of Women’s Action Committees (PFWAC)
Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI)
Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign
Union of Teachers of Private Schools
Union of Women’s Work Committees, Tulkarem (UWWC)
Dentists’ Association – Jerusalem Center
Palestinian Engineers Association
Lawyers’ Association
Network for the Eradication of Illiteracy and Adult Education, Ramallah
Coordinating Committee of Rehabilitation Centers – West Bank
Coalition of Lebanese Civil Society Organisations (150 organisations)
Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR), Network of Student-based Canadian University Associations
Refugee Rights Associations/Organisations
Al-Ard Committees for the Defense of the Right of Return, Syria
Al-Awda Charitable Society, Beit Jala
Al Awda – Palestine Right-to-Return Coalition, U.S.A Al-Awda Toronto
Aidun Group – Lebanon
Aidun Group – Syria
Alrowwad Cultural and Theatre Training Center, Ayda refugee camp
Association for the Defense of the Rights of the Internally Displaced (ADRID), Nazareth
BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights, Bethlehem
Committee for Definite Return, Syria
Committee for the Defense of Palestinian Refugee Rights, Nablus
Consortium of the Displaced Inhabitants of Destroyed Palestinian Villages and Towns
Filastinuna – Commission for the Defense of the Right of Return, Syria
Handala Center, al-Azza (Beit Jibreen) refugee camp, Bethlehem
High Committee for the Defense of the Right of Return, Jordan (including personal endorsement of 71 members of parliament, political parties and unions in Jordan)
High National Committee for the Defense of the Right of Return, Ramallah
International Right of Return Congress (RORC)
Jermana Youth Forum for the Defense of the Right of Return, Syria
Laji Center, Ayda camp, Bethlehem
Local Committee for Rehabilitation, Qalandia refugee camp, Jerusalem
Local Committee for Rehabilitation of the Disabled, Deheishe refugee camp, Bethlehem
Palestinian National Committee for the Defense of the Right of Return, Syria
Palestinian Return Association, Syria
Palestinian Return Forum, Syria
Palestine Right-of-Return Coalition (Palestine, Arab host countries, Europe, North America)
Palestine Right-of-Return Confederation-Europe (Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden)
Palestinian Youth Forum for the Right of Return, Syria
PLO Popular Committees – West Bank refugee camps
PLO Popular Committees – Gaza Strip refugee camps
Popular Committee – al-’Azza (Beit Jibreen) refugee camp, Bethlehem
Popular Committee – Deheishe refugee camp, Bethlehem
Shaml – Palestinian Diaspora and Refugee Center, Ramallah
Union of Women’s Activity Centers – West Bank Refugee Camps
Union of Youth Activity Centers – Palestine Refugee Camps, West Bank and Gaza
Women’s Activity Center – Deheishe refugee camp, Bethlehem
Yafa Cultural Center, Balata refugee camp, Nablus
Organisations
Abna’ al-Balad Society, Nablus
Addameer Center for Human Rights, Gaza
Addameer Prisoners’ Support and Human Rights Association, Ramallah
Alanqa’ Cultural Association, Hebron
Al-Awda Palestinian Folklore Society, Hebron
Al-Doha Children’s Cultural Center, Bethlehem
Al-Huda Islamic Center, Bethlehem
Al-Jeel al-Jadid Society, Haifa
Al-Karameh Cultural Society, Um al-Fahm
Al-Maghazi Cultural Center, Gaza
Al-Marsad Al-Arabi, occupied Syrian Golan Heights
Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, Gaza
Al-Nahda Cultural Forum, Hebron
Al-Taghrid Society for Culture and Arts, Gaza
Alternative Tourism Group, Beit Sahour (ATG)
Al-Wafa’ Charitable Society, Gaza
Applied Research Institute Jerusalem (ARIJ)
Arab Association for Human Rights, Nazareth (HRA)
Arab Center for Agricultural Development (ACAD)
Arab Center for Agricultural Development – Gaza
Arab Educational Institute – Open Windows (affiliated with Pax Christie International)
Arab Orthodox Charitable Society – Beit Sahour
Arab Orthodox Charity – Beit Jala
Arab Orthodox Club – Beit Jala
Arab Orthodox Club – Beit Sahour
Arab Students’ Collective, University of Toronto
Arab Thought Forum, Jerusalem (AFT)
Association for Cultural Exchange Hebron – France
Association Najdeh, Lebanon
Authority for Environmental Quality, Jenin
Bader Society for Development and Reconstruction, Gaza
Canadian Palestine Foundation of Quebec, Montreal
Center for the Defense of Freedoms, Ramallah
Center for Science and Culture, Gaza
Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ramallah – Al-Bireh District
Child Development and Entertainment Center, Tulkarem
Committee for Popular Participation, Tulkarem
Defense for Children International – Palestine Section, Ramallah (DCI/PS)
El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe
Ensan Center for Democracy and Human Rights, Bethlehem
Environmental Education Center, Bethlehem
FARAH – Palestinian Center for Children, Syria
Ghassan Kanafani Society for Development, Gaza
Ghassan Kanafani Forum, Syria
Gaza Community Mental Health Program, Gaza (GCMHP)
Golan for Development, occupied Syrian Golan Heights
Halhoul Cultural Forum, Hebron
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br /> Himayeh Society for Human Rights, Um al-Fahm
Holy Land Trust – Bethlehem
Home of Saint Nicholas for Old Ages – Beit Jala
Human Rights Protection Center, Lebanon
In’ash al-Usrah Society, Ramallah
International Center of Bethlehem (Dar An-Nadweh)
Islah Charitable Society-Bethlehem
Jafra Youth Center, Syria
Jander Center, al-Azza (Beit Jibreen) refugee camp, Bethlehem
Jerusalem Center for Women, Jerusalem (JCW)
Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Center (JLAC )
Khalil Al Sakakini Cultural Center, Ramallah
Land Research Center, Jerusalem (LRC)
Liberated Prisoners’ Society, Palestine
Local Committee for Social Development, Nablus
Local Committee for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled, Nablus
MA’AN TV Network, Bethlehem
Medical Aid for Palestine, Canada
MIFTAH – Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy, Ramallah
Muwatin – The Palestinian Institute for the Study of Democracy
National Forum of Martyr’s Families, Palestine
Near East Council of Churches Committee for Refugee Work – Gaza Area
Network of Christian Organisations – Bethlehem (NCOB)
Palestinian Council for Justice and Peace, Jerusalem
Palestinian Counseling Center, Jerusalem (PCC)
Palestinian Democratic Youth Union, Lebanon
Palestinian Farmers’ Society, Gaza
Palestinian Hydrology Group for Water and Environment Resources Development – Gaza
Palestinian Prisoners’ Society-West Bank
Palestinian Society for Consumer Protection, Gaza
Palestinian University Students’ Forum for Peace and Democracy, Hebron
Palestinian Women’s Struggle Committees
Palestinian Working Women Society for Development (PWWSD)
Popular Art Centre, Al-Bireh
Prisoner’s Friends Association – Ansar Al-Sajeen, Majd al-Krum
Public Aid Association, Gaza
Ramallah Center for Human Rights Studies
Saint Afram Association – Bethlehem
Saint Vincent De Paule – Beit Jala
Senior Citizen Society – Beit Jala
Social Development Center, Nablus
Society for Self-Development, Hebron
Society for Social Work, Tulkarem
Society for Voluntary Work and Culture, Um al-Fahm
Society of Friends of Prisoners and Detainees, Um al-Fahm
Sumoud-Political Prisoners Solidarity Group, Toronto
Tamer Institute for Community Education, Ramallah
TCC – Teacher’s Creativity Center, Ramallah
Wi’am Center, Bethlehem
Women’s Affairs Technical Committee, Ramallah and Gaza (WATC)
Women’s Studies Center, Jerusalem (WSC)
Women’s Center for Legal Aid and Counseling, Jerusalem (WCLAC)
Yafa for Education and Culture, Nablus
Yazour Charitable Society, Nablus
YMCA – East Jerusalem
Youth Cooperation Forum, Hebron
YWCA – Palestine
Zakat Committee – al-Khader, Bethlehen
Zakat Committee – Deheishe camp, Bethlehem
notes
1 UN figures according to the latest published route.
2 The ‘Green Line’ refers to the 1949 Armistice line, the demarcation line separating Israel from its neighbours following the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.
3 Since 1967 successive Israeli governments have encouraged Israeli citizens to live in settlements in the Occupied West Bank by offering land and financial incentives. The international community regards the settlements as contrary to international law. There are over 200 Israeli settlements in the West Bank, housing over 300,000 Israelis, not including East Jerusalem, and along with the roads and buffer zones around them, they now take up at least forty per cent of West Bank land. The settlers are subject to Israeli law and Palestinians are not allowed to enter settlements without permission.
4 Israel’s internationally recognised borders as set out in its ceasefire agreements after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. During the 1968 Six Day War, Israel captured territories over the Green Line including the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The international community deems these areas ‘Occupied Territories’, whereas Israel calls them ‘Disputed Territories’.
5 About a fifth of the West Bank, mostly in the Jordan Valley, is designated a ‘closed military area’. Once you add this to the settlements and the Israeli declared ‘nature reserves’, it turns out that ninety-four per cent of the West Bank’s fertile, water-rich Jordan Valley is off limits to Palestinians. Source: Save the Children, Jordan Valley Fact Sheet, October 2009.
6 The Oslo Accords in the early nineties divided the West Bank into three temporary administrative zones – Area A under Palestinian control, Area B under joint Israeli and Palestinian Control and Area C under the full control of the Israelis for security and planning, with the provision of basic services supplied by the Palestinian Authority. This division was meant to be an interim measure while final status negotiations took place between the two sides, and a deal reached on the transfer of power from the Israeli Civil Authority to the Palestinian Authority. It never happened. Source: United Nations.
7 Approximately sixty-one per cent of the West Bank, including ninety per cent of the Jordan Valley, falls within Area C. Israeli government figures show that between January 2000 and September 2007, over ninety-four per cent of building permit applications in Area C submitted by Palestinians were refused; 1,600 Palestinian buildings were demolished and a further 5,000 demolition orders issued. Source: United Nations Office for the Coordination of Occupied Palestinian Territory, ‘Lack of Permit’ Demolitions and Resultant Displacement in Area C, May 2008.
8 Between the end of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War and the Six Day War in 1967, the West Bank and East Jerusalem were under Jordanian rule as set out in the 1949 Armistice agreement.
9 ‘Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,’ International Court of Justice. http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/index.php?p1=3&p2=4&code=mwp&case=131&k=5a’.
10 If charged, Yaya would have been put on trial in a military court, contrary to international law. There are currently 350 children in Israeli prisons, often in ‘prolonged periods of solitary confinement, in inhumane and degrading conditions’. Their families are often unable to get the permits for access into Israel to visit them. Israel treats its own population as minors until eighteen, whereas Palestinian children are charged as adults from sixteen years old. Most offences are for stone throwing, which carries a maximum twenty-year sentence. Nearly all convictions are as a result of a ‘confession’. Sources: United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child and Defence for Children International.
11 Source: Five Years after the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion: A Summary of the Humanitarian Impact of the Barrier July 2009, UN OCHA OPT.
12 Source: Israeli Settlements and International Law, Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Peace+Process/Guide+to+the+Peace+Process/Israeli+Settlements+and+International+Law.htm.
13 ibid.
14 ibid.
15 Excluding East Jerusalem, which amounts to approximately 210,000 more settlers.
16 Michael Sfard took the case of the five villages caught in the Alfei Menashe bubble to court, where it was ruled that the Barrier should be rerouted to re-include three of the five original villages back into the West Bank. Arab ar Ramadin, however, remains on the Israeli side of the Barrier, and its children now have to travel by bus every day to get to school. The round trip is thirty-two kilometres, despite the school being two kilometres to the south of Arab ar Ramadin on the West Bank side of the Barrier.
&n
bsp; 17 Quoted in article, ‘Forcible Removal of Arabs gaining support in Israel’ The Times, 24 August 1988.
18 Source: http://www.haaretz.com/news/benjamin-netanyahu-israel-to-retain-key-west-bank-settlement-in-any-peace-deal-1.262417.
19 Source: Haaretz News: ‘The painful cost to Israel of its settler adventure, 20/07/09.
20 Source: Peace Now website.
21 Source: Amnesty International, Troubled Waters. Palestinians denied fair access to water, 2009.
22 Source: PBS, ‘Now with Bill Moyers’ 6 June 2003.
23 Source: http://www.haaretz.com/news/high-court-controversial-settlement-neighborhood-to-remain-in-place-1.228883.
24 In 2009, the Israeli Supreme Court ruled that the general closure of the road to Palestinians was illegal. In May 2010 the road was partially reopened although with two new checkpoints controlling access to the road, and a third controlling access into East Jerusalem, for which they requisitioned more than 170 dunums of private Palestinian land. Although Palestinians can now drive on the road, they can’t access Ramallah from it, so the impact of its opening is minimal, ‘improving mainly the vehicular movement between the villages’. Source: OCHA, West Bank Movement and Access Update June 2010.
25 This is Area C so there is no building work allowed without a permit.
26 Although Route 443 now has some limited access on part of it, it is not the only road Palestinians cannot access freely. More than 300 kilometres of roads in the West Bank are off-limits or restricted to Palestinians. Source: B’Tselem.
27 During Israel’s creation in 1948 and the 1967 Six Day War more than half of Palestinians living in pre-1948 Palestine were displaced, one of the largest displaced populations in the world. There has been dispute over what actually happened in 1948. Palestinians accuse the Israelis of widespread ethnic cleansing whereas the Israelis claim the Arab population left of its own accord to avoid a war started by its Arab neighbours. It is perhaps no surprise that Palestinians refer to the creation of Israel as the ‘Nakba’, the catastrophe, and the right of return for these refugees has proven to be a major stumbling block to peace.
28 A trade worth between £10m and £30m a year. Although it is UK ‘policy’ that no British arms should be used in the Occupied Territories, they ‘almost certainly’ were during the offensive in Gaza in 2008. Source: House of Commons Committees on Arms Export Control.