Civil society officials and activists stressed the need to use all available means to confront the American-Israeli annexation plan aimed at liquidating the Palestinian cause including the forming of an expanded national body.
They continued to demand national and international plans to stand against the annexation process implemented via a global alliance. Also, NGO figures condemned the continuity of the political division as well as the political faction's dereliction in fighting the dangerous annexation plans.
The Director-General of the Palestinian Agricultural Development Association, Munjed Abu Jaish, called for establishing a broad national body to mainly confront practically the annexation schemes.
This came during a dialogue session entitled "The reality of the Israeli occupation annexation scheme and ways to confront it", which was organized by the Palestinian Network of NGOs) PNGO)
Abu Jaish urged during the session in which Jamal Jumaa the coordinator of the campaign against the wall, that there must be a committee that includes government, civil society, Palestinian factions, and the private sector representatives whose mission is to develop a strategic plan to counter plans to annex about 30% of the occupied West Bank
Furthermore, Abu Jaish stressed that the mission of the commission should be to enhance the steadfastness of the Jordan Valley residents (about 60,000 Palestinians mostly working in the agricultural sector), increase its population by developing infrastructure, electricity, water, and housing construction projects, and call for an international boycott against Israeli
Investing lands belonging to the Palestinian Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs, he pointed out, is vital by leasing them to small farmers and young people to urge them to earn a decent life and work.
Abu Jaish affirmed the importance of protecting the land by all means, preventing annexation, and working to boycott Israel internationally.
In turn, Mr. Jamal Juma, coordinator of the Stop the Wall Campaign, gave a presentation on the Israeli occupation plan and settlement situation in the West Bank, using a detailed map prepared in cooperation with a Dutch mapping expert. The map clarifies the longitudinal and transverse lines of roads and settlement areas and the goals of the annexation plan.
According to the wicked scheme, West Bank cities will be isolated from each other, especially after the Gaza Strip has been isolated from the West Bank and their isolation from Jerusalem and other Palestinian cities inside the occupied territory 1948.
Moreover, Juma pointed out that 10 thousand settlers live in settlements located in the Jordan Valley, which is considered the second-largest water source in the West Bank and the Israeli occupation authorities’ control about 90% of it.
The Israeli occupation has been, Juma stated, controlling about 50 thousand hectares of agricultural land in the Jordan Valley, which is considered the primary food sources for Palestinians and the annexation plan will come to isolate about 120 villages from its Palestinian surroundings.
He continued that the importance of facing the annexation plan lies in the strategic factor, calling on the Palestinian Authority to boycott Israel and politically respond to the annexation scheme, and not only to forsake its agreement obligations.
Activating popular and national movements is a must, according to Juma, as he implored the government to enhance the steadfastness of citizens and end the ongoing political division to confront the most dangerous stage facing the Palestinian people.
Amjad Al-Shawa, PNGO director, said at the beginning of the session that the Palestinian cause and the national project are going through the most critical stages in light of the Palestinian division and severe Arab and international conditions.
The annexation plan contradicts international law by attempting to legalize the theft of Palestinian lands, he added.
Al-Shawa stressed the importance of standing in the face of the annexation plan and not leaving the Jordan Valley people alone in this fierce battle.
In the same context, Al-Shawa affirmed the necessity of thwarting the annexation scheme because its success means the end of the Palestinian national project.
Thus, Al-Shawa called for strengthening the resilience of the Palestinian people, especially in the Jordan Valley, ending the division, and drawing up a plan to support the Palestinian people internationally, while exposing the Israeli occupation devilish programs and facing annexation.