One hundred and thirty Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations called to support the reconciliation efforts and the achievement of national unity and overcome all impediments to the reconciliation so as to protect our people's rights and strengthen their steadfastness in the face of the Israeli occupation and its plans.
The Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network (PNGO) held a special meeting last Thursday, July 26th 2018 in Gaza, to announce its petition welcoming the efforts and demanding a speedy implementation of the reconciliation agreements. The meeting was held at the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) hall in the presence of NGOs representatives and was covered by the media.
Director of PNGO, Amjad Al Shawa, read out the following petition signed by more than 130 Palestinian NGOs in the Gaza Strip, West Bank and Jerusalem to support reconciliation efforts and achieve national unity.
Palestinian NGOs Petition Welcoming Reconciliation Efforts and Demanding Speedy Implementation of Reconciliation Agreements
Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) welcome efforts made to achieve national reconciliation with the support of Egypt, who has been a key player and supporter in attempts to bring the two Palestinian sides together to achieve a comprehensive reconciliation; and to end the internal divisions which have constituted a black chapter in our history.
It is necessary for all parties and actors including Palestinian Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to be a part of reconciliation efforts to support and strengthen the domestic front, and to confront attempts to transform the Palestinian cause into a humanitarian and economic issue, as opposed to a struggle for national liberation.
The reconciliation agreements signed in Cairo in 2011 and 2017 constitute a commitment to;
1.) End internal division in order to unify the Palestinian political system on the basis of partnership and a shared political programme.
2.) To protect Palestinian national rights and combat plans to reframe the Palestinian cause as a humanitarian and economic issue. This is particularly relevant concerning the so-called "Deal of the Century", which would not only deprive Palestinians from their right to East Jerusalem as a capital for a future state, but also deprive refugees their UN recognized right to return and prevent access by Palestinians to their land. This proposed deal would divide the Gaza strip and West Bank further, the West Bank itself being divided into non-contiguous Bantustans. This constitutes a flagrant violation of international law that guarantee our people's right to self–determination, right to return and right to an independent state along the lines of 4 June 1967 as recognized by the international community in 2012 as non-Member Observer State of the United Nations in accordance with the General Assembly resolution 67/19.
The protection of the rights of our people requires putting the Palestinian house in order, it requires ending internal division and achieving national unity. This must begin with an immediate halt to the punitive measures imposed on the Gaza Strip by the Palestinian Authority, an end to media incitement, protecting public freedoms including freedom of thought and expression; and the right to peaceful assembly. It demands the formation of a national unity government to address the issues which have resulted from internal divisions, in particular administrative and security arrangements which must be restructured on a basis of professionalism. It must work to strengthen solidarity in Palestinian society, and work towards holding democratic elections as soon as possible.
The undersigned Palestinian NGOs call for a speedy implementation of the reconciliation agreement in order to mend Palestinian social fabric and to support partnership amongst all political parties, which would contribute to strengthening resilience and restoring democracy which have been greatly reduced due to the internal division, and in order to address the serious challenges facing the Palestinian cause. We have no choice but to achieve unity, build partnership and give priority to the national interest over narrow factional and partisan interests.