Petition to Participate and Sign
We, the Palestinian people, in historic Palestine, in the countries of asylum and in diaspora, demand the election of a new Palestinian National Council, as the first step towards rebuilding Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), in order to restore its role as a political entity that reflects the Palestinian people, in all their places of residence and as the leader of their struggle, in all its forms, be they national, institutional, or representation.
The need for this step is compounded by the fact that the Zionist-American project is being exploited through the “Deal of the Century””, that seeks to liquidate the cause of Palestine and its people, the legalization of settlement and Judaization of Jerusalem. This step is consistent with the announcement by the Palestinian leadership that the PLO is dissolving all its agreements and understandings with Israel and the United States.
It is also an invitation that stems from the collective and indisputable assertion of adhering to the PLO as the sole legitimate representative of our Palestinian people. Our conviction of this step derives its legitimacy and necessity from the following aspects:
- The provisions of the statute of the organization in Articles 4-5:
“All Palestinian are natural members of the PLO”…And “members of the National Council are elected by direct vote by the Palestinian people”…This indicates that the election base is the norm and that the system of factional quotas (the “quota system”) is the exception, and not the other way around, knowing that the development of communication and informatics could enable Palestinians everywhere to participate in the elections, in accordance with appropriate mechanisms.
- While we respect and support all calls and initiatives for national dialogue, at all levels, and at all times, we do not lose sight of the failure of that option, in light of the fact that Fatah has maintained its grip on authority in the West Bank and Hamas did exactly the same in Gaza, which leaves us with no option except to refer the whole matter back to the Palestinian people, and to the provisions of the PLO Charter through the electoral mechanism, which is the necessary entry point to get out of this impasse and to streamline the internal equation in Palestinian politics in a democratic manner.
- The call for this option derives its legitimacy, too, from the necessity of rebuilding (reconstructing) the PLO on the basis of a comprehensive national vision that restores the congruence between the question of Palestine, its land its people and its cause, starting from the unity of the People of Palestine in all their places of residence. And the necessity of shifting from the strategy of the struggle for part of the land, only, to the struggle for the whole land and the struggle for Palestinian national rights, both individual and collective.
- The call for the election of a Palestinian National Council, involves – the emphasis of functional and administrative separation, between the PLO and the PNA, thus restoring our national movement to its original character as a national liberation movement, starting from the unity of the people of Palestine, and restoring the congruence between the people, the land, and the cause.
- The PLO National Charter in (Article 7) states that “Palestinian National Council is the supreme authority of the PLO, which sets the organization’s policy, plans and programs.” Therefore, the election of a national council will release all the energies of the Palestinian people, consolidate the institutional work, and strengthen collective leadership and democracy in Palestinian national endeavor.
Let us unite in one voice for inclusive/ elections, in which Palestinians everywhere would participate, paving the way for rebuilding the all-embracing the Palestinian entity of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
