Democratic Palestine : 18 (ص 7)
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- عنوان
- Democratic Palestine : 18 (ص 7)
- المحتوى
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Mass Organizations
in Occupied Palestine
ee
Leaders and activists of mass organizations have been prime targets of the Zionist iron fist policy of
administrative detention. Nonetheless, these organizations continue their work, embodying the Palesti-
nian people’s national identity and striving for liberation.
Since the establishment of the state of ‘Israel’, successive
Zionist governments have enacted policies designed to empty
occupied Palestine of its original inhabitants. These policies
range from land confiscation and settlement-building, to des-
truction of the national economy and a whole array of fascist
measures-mass arrests, deportations, torture, collective
punishment and the banning of nationalist political and social
activities. Despite everything, the Palestinian masses have con-
fronted all forms of oppression. They have struggled through
mass organizations, committees and trade unions to express
their resistance to occupation. The following article is a survey
of the activities of trade unions, women’s and students’ organi-
zations and volunteer work committees in the first half of this
year. This period was distinguished by a high degree of political
activity on the part of mass organizations, confronting the
various schemes aimed against our people, whether by the Zio-
nist enemy or the reactionary regime in Jordan. Most note-
worthy is that all mass organizations, regardless of political
affiliation, expressed opposition to the Jordanian regime’s
policy of eliminating the PLO’s role.
TRADE UNIONS
Trade union activity in this period centered around specific
occasions. It was limited for two main reasons:
First : The Zionist authorities escalated their repression
against the unions and union activists, as seen in those deported,
arrested and placed under house arrest. Recently the authorities
sought once again to implement an old decision to restrict trade
unions and mass organizations generally by forcing them to
submit reports about their annual activities, in order to obtain
permission for new activities. This decision dates back 14 years,
but the Zionist authorities have never been able to enforce it.
Second : The trade union movement is hindered by subjective
factors, chiefly internal division which dates back to when the
Palestinian right wing split the General Federation of Trade
Unions in the West Bank in 1981. There were new splits in the
recent period, which were reflected in the election results in the
various unions. The general tendency today is for the different
trade unions to be highly concerned with the major political
questions affecting Palestinian struggle. Thus the prevailing
divisions coincide with political differences. In the recent elec-
tions, single blocs gained the leadership of many unions,
without any competition.
The elections preoccupied the unions to a great extent in this
period. Besides commemorating May Ist, trade union activities
were mainly expressed in political statements about central
issues. Despite the prevailing political differences, all trade
unions were united in their positions on the main issues.
In Bethlehem, a public statement was issued by popular insti-
tutions, trade unions and other mass organizations, rejecting all
attempts to eliminate the PLO’s role as the sole, legitimate
representative of the Palestinian people everywhere. The sta-
tement emphasized rejection of Security Council resolutions
242 and 338 (which recognize ‘Israel’, but deal with the Palesti-
nian issue as one of refugees only, not as a national question);
adherence to the right to self-determination and an independent
state; the importance of Palestinian unity on a nationalist basis,
opposed to all imperialist and Arab reactionary capitulationist
schemes; opposition to cooperating with the Jordanian regime.
The statement was signed by the Bethlehem branches of the
unions for doctors, pharmacists, engineers, dentists, carpen-
ters, tile workers, electricity workers, engineering assistants and
tailors, as well the Labor Unity Bloc and the Women’s Work
Committee of Beit Sahour.
In the Jenin area, trade unions joined popular committees in
issuing a statement denying what had been published on their
behalf by the appointed municipal council. On February 21st,
Al Quds daily published a statement of support to King Hus-
sein’s speech of February 19th, wherein he demanded that the
PLO recognize resolutions 242 and 338, and froze cooperation
with the PLO leadership. The slanderous statement had been
submitted by the appointed municipal council. The trade
union’s statement, on the contrary, condemned King Hussein’s
speech and denied that the municipal council’s statement repre-
sented the point of view of the people of Jenin. The statement
also confirmed rejection of resolutions 242 and 338. It reite-
rated that the PLO is the sole, legitimate representative of the
Palestinian people, and called upon the Palestinian national
leadership to restore the PLO’s unity on a national and demo-
cratic basis, in conformity with PNC resolutions. The statement
was signed by the Progressive Front for Trade Union Action,
the Labor Youth Movement, the Labor Trade Union Federa-
tion, the Women’s Work Committees, the local branches of the
unions of engineers and dentists, and the government teachers
committee.
The Vocational Trade Union Federation in Jerusalem issued
a statement condemning the US attack on Libya, and demanded
a boycott of the US and exposure of European hypocrisy.
Imperialist aggression against Libya was condemned in another
statement issued jointly by the Progressive Front for Trade
Union Action, the Progressive Students’ Action Front, the
Union of Volunteer Work Committees, the Union of Palesti-
nian Women’s Committees and the Union of High School Stu-
dents’ Committees.
Prominent trade unionists condemned King Hussein’s
February speech, among them Younis Tayyem, executive
committee member of the General Federation of West Bank
Trade Unions; Mustafa Abu Salem, secretary of the Carpen-
ters’ Union; Khader Al Murranakh, secretary of the Public
Services Union. Their public statements called for cancelling the
Amman accord, signed by King Hussein and Yasir Arafat, in
order to hault the process of concessions given by the right-wing
leadership of the PLO, and to return the PLO to the national
line. They also called for cancelling the 17th PNC (held in
Amman 1984) and for the necessity of national unity.
MAY 1ST
In the West Bank, there were many festivals on the occasion
of May Ist. In Jerusalem, there were celebrations for all labor
unions. The Employees and Workers of the Jerusalem Electric
Company distributed a special communique: ‘‘We celebrate this
occasion at a time when our company is facing dangerous
attempts to liquidate it. The final decision of the court came to
confiscate the property of the company and prohibit the expen-
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