The dangers posed to the Palestinian cause are mounting day by day, as the Israeli occupation continues its aggression against the Palestinian people—the last of which is was the assassination of three Palestinians in cold blood in Nablus, the West Bank. 

In addition, the Israeli occupation receives absolute and unconditional support from the US Administration. All of this happens while some Arab countries are determined to normalize ties with the Israeli occupation. 

These developments require the Palestinian factions and social groups to be united to protect the national project. Unity is the only way to confront the Israeli occupation and colonial settlements and free the Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. We have to agree on a national project to confront the occupation and preserve the national constants. Such a consensus-based program must end the Palestinian division and boost the unity among all the Palestinian factions and social groups. 

That’s said, we were surprised to observe the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) insistence to go ahead with their policy of unilateralism and therefore worsen the split amid the dangers posed to the Palestinian cause. The last step taken by the PA in this regard was holding the Palestinian central council despite the rejection by and boycott of most of the Palestinian factions—most factions and national figures withdrew from the council. 

Unfortunately, the meeting was held despite the calls by the Palestinian factions to call off or postpone it, until the formation of a new national council that is inclusive of all Palestinians. 

However, some high-profile officials in the PA decline the other Palestinian faction’s appeals and insisted on holding the meeting without consensus, without the participation of all Palestinian representatives, and without a clear agenda and thus against the basic law of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO). 

Furthermore, those who held the meeting abandoned the national consensus on the formation of a new national council. In a nutshell, the meeting was futile, and it had no vision or outcomes. 

We think that these developments are repercussions of the PA’s unilateralism, hegemony, and utilization of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation to serve partisan agenda. In addition, those who held the meetings still count on the Oslo Accords, the Quartet, and the US administration’s support. 

Sadly, the few members who participated in the central council’s meeting granted themselves the right to elect the president of the Palestinian national council, members of the executive committee, and other high-profile positions. By doing so, this minority further worsens the domestic crisis and delegitimizes these decisions and appointments. 

The Israeli occupation’s crime of assassinating the three Palestinians in the Nablus coincided with the meeting of the central council, thus emphasizing the necessity to unify all national efforts in the field to shield the Palestinian people and kick the colonial settlers out of the occupied Palestinian lands. It also urges the PA to abandon unilateralism. 

Therefore, we would like to emphasize the following points:

First: There is no recognition nor legitimacy of all appointments that have been declared by the central council in its meeting held last Sunday and Monday, including the appointment of the head of the national council and other positions. We call on all Palestinian people not to recognize these appointments because they do not represent the Palestinian people and do override the consensual decisions taken by the Palestinian factions—these decisions only suppress the Palestinian popular will. 

Second: We call on the high-profile officials who have held the central council meeting to backtrack on their policy of unilateralism and work towards national unity based on full national partnership, after the implementation of the consensual decisions. 

Third: We call for starting a national dialogue immediately at the level of the secretaries-general of the Palestinian factions. This dialogue should end up with the formation of a new transitional national council that is inclusive of all Palestinian factions and social groups. The proposed national dialogue should work towards holding the general elections, reformation of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, and activation of the PLO’s institutions, given that it is the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people inside Palestine and in the diaspora. 

Fourth: We stress that there is no return to the track of Oslo or acceptance of the option of compromises with the Israeli occupation. We call for the formation of the leadership of the popular resistance and granting it the authority to take relevant decisions in the field. We confirm that the blood of martyrs, the sacrifices of Palestinian detainees inside Israeli jails, and the hardships undergone by the Palestinian people will not go in vain. 

Fifth: The Palestinian factions who signed this press release together with national figures and social groups will continue to conduct consultations to manage the ongoing situation, achieve unity, boost national partnership in preparation for reconciliation, rearrange the Palestinian home, and launch initiatives to unify efforts and protect the national project based on a comprehensive national strategy.  

The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas 
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement 
The Palestinian Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine

Wednesday, February 9th, 2022