Democratic Palestine : 28 (ص 5)
غرض
- عنوان
- Democratic Palestine : 28 (ص 5)
- المحتوى
-
there has to be an alternative authority. It is essential to
provide an alternative authority that shoulders the respon-
sibility of forming popular committees to cover every town,
village and refugee camp. The present growth of the upris-
ing indicates an orientation towards meeting such condi-
tions. Our masses are fully aware of the fact that such a
great uprising cannot take place every day. Therefore, they
exert every possible effort to keep the uprising going until
its objectives are attained. Continuity is essential. Yet,
continuity alone is not sufficient. The enemy should be
confronted by further revolutionary means of struggle that
force it to pull out. The most significant means is civil
disobedience. The occupation forces have confronted the
popular actions, namely the protests, demonstrations and
sit-ins with increasingly intense oppression. They met the
stones with cannons.
NATIONAL RESISTANCE PROVIDED THE
EXAMPLE
While proceeding with demonstrations, strikes, stone-
and molotov-throwing, people should envision ways to
force the occupation to pull out. Lebanon provided a good
example. When the occupation authorities feel that their
losses exceed their benefits, they will pull back. Civil
disobedience represents a qualitative step in this direction.
It is essential to understand that we are not able to stage
such an uprising every day. Therefore, the uprising aims to
fulfil the slogan of freedom and independence, or most of
the demands closely related to this slogan, the result of
which will eventually be freedom and independence. I feel
very glad when I see that our masses and their vanguards
are fully aware of these issues. In the recent days of the
uprising, the political slogan was clearly defined and there
was an obvious move towards civil disobedience.
What is the PLO’s role in fulfilling the uprising’s
slogan?
First of all, I would like to affirm that our masses inside
Palestine consider the PLO, the institution, as the sole
legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. In fact,
the Palestinian people have a high degree of political
awareness: They make a clear distinction between in-
dividuals and various names on the one hand and institu-
tions and organizations on the other. Regardless of how
certain groups of our people view this or that Palestinian
leader, all Palestinians unanimously view the PLO as their
only legitimate representative. I think that the Israeli enemy
is well aware of this fact, as are the foreign correspondents
covering the events of the uprising inside Palestine.
What should the PLO do now to make the upris-
ing a success?
First of all, the PLO must strictly abide by the provi-
sional national program in order to assure the Palestinian
masses who are offering their lives in defense of the
homeland. They should feel confident that the PLO
leadership will continue to fully abide by the provisional
program, the program of repatriation, self-determination
and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
The PLO should also assure the masses that it will continue
to adhere to the common denominators of unity, i.e., the
resolutions that were adopted at the most recent PNC in
Algiers.
The foremost service the PLO leadership outside
Palestine should provide to the uprising is to bolster the
morale of our people in this regard. The Palestinian people
should have full confidence in the PLO leadership’s
adherence to the National Charter. Consequently, anything
creating anxiety in the hearts of our people should be com-
pletely avoided. There is no need at present to propose or
announce things like a government-in-exile. There is no
need to hold contacts with the Egyptian or Jordanian
regimes, because such contacts raise questions in the minds
of our masses.
As I said above, civil disobedience requires meeting cer-
- tain conditions. The masses should be provided with the
essential means of sustenance, such as bread and medicine,
to enable them to engage in total civil disobedience. Many
of the luxury things might be overlooked, but the minimal
living conditions should be provided. This is a task for the
PLO.
ARAB PARTICIPATION AND
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY
Moreover, the PLO should shoulder the responsibility of
surrounding the uprising with the broadest possible
Arab participation and international solidarity on both the
popular and governmental levels. Take note of the fact that
I have referred to Arab participation, and international
solidarity. We do not accept only solidarity from the Arabs,
whether it be the governments, the parties or the people.
This is our chance; it is the opportunity for all those who
consider the Palestine question an issue of pan-Arab strug-
gle, to see this translated into concrete reality, so that our
masses will not sneer at this slogan.
THE UPRISING CAN FOIL POLITICAL
SABOTAGE
Some say that certain Palestinian circles, both
inside and outside the PLO, may try to exploit
the uprising to activate diplomatic moves and
prepare the atmosphere for a political solution,
any political solution. How do you view this?
I hope not. The uprising with its scope and political
slogans is, I believe, capable of bridling such moves. I am
not speaking about the far-distant future, nor even the near
future. Up to the present moment, the US moves overlook
the PLO... The attempts to abort the uprising, as of now,
are essentially coming from the US administration and its
puppet regimes in the Arab world. The possibility you
mentioned still exists. We have to keep our eyes open. Yet,
at this political stage which we are speaking about, the
uprising itself will be able to harness any move that might
be made by certain Palestinian trends. At present we must
be careful not to allow the US to carry out its attempts via - هو جزء من
- Democratic Palestine : 28
- تاريخ
- مارس ١٩٨٨
- المنشئ
- الجبهة الشعبية لتحرير فلسطين
Contribute
Not viewed