Democratic Palestine : 28 (ص 31)
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- عنوان
- Democratic Palestine : 28 (ص 31)
- المحتوى
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the main parties to whom it was
directed: ‘Israel’ and the Palestinian
people.
THE STEADFASTNESS
COUNTRIES
The Arab nationalist regimes (Syria,
Libya, Algeria and Democratic
Yemen), have officially confirmed their
total support to the uprising. Their
media is daily broadcasting news about
the uprising, and condemning the
imperialist-Zionist-reactionary plans
aimed at foiling the uprising.
Due to the increasing international
attention focused on the Palestinian
cause as a result of the uprising, the
Amal movement felt called upon to lift
the siege of the Palestinian camps in
Lebanon that had lasted for 32 months.
On January 16th, Nabil Berri an-
nounced that the siege would be lifted
January 20th, «as a gift» to the
Palestinian uprising. The prolonged
siege, in conjunction with the camp
war, has had disasterous effects on the
ability of the Palestinian-Syrian-
Lebanese nationalist alliance to con-
front their common enemy. The upris-
ing served to reassert the unity of the
Palestinian struggle whether inside or
outside the occupied territories. It made
the camp war and the siege a very em-
barrassing issue.
In Syria, the National Progressive
Front organized a volunteer work day
with the proceeds donated to support
the uprising. Government departments
and shops closed all over Syria for two
hours in compliance with the call of the
United National Leadership of the
Uprising. A number of mass
demonstrations took place, such as the
December 28th march of 6,000 people
in Hama. In Yarmouk cmp, 50,000
people demonstrated. Other activities
took place, such as the children’s sit-in
at the Red Cross office in Damascus,
and women’s sit-ins in mosques. Memos
were sent to international humanitarian
organizations and to the UN, signed by
children, and women’s organizations.
There were strikes and demonstra-
tions in the occupied Golan Heights, in
solidarity with the uprising in occupied
Palestine. In several instances, the
Israeli army repressed the demonstra-
tions, arresting many and preventing
journalists from entering the area.
Although these acts of solidarity are
positive, Syria’s responsibility for con-
fronting the common enemy requires
that it move to reestablish relations
with the PLO, bypassing past disagree-
ments. This is very important in view of
the new stage of the Arab—Israeli con-
flict ushered in by the uprising.
Although there have recently been a
series of PLO—Syrian contacts, there
are no concrete results as yet.
In Algeria, the government opened a
special bank account for financial
support to the uprising, and called
upon all citizens to deposit donations.
The party and mass organizations
sponsored activities in all districts of
the country, in coordination with the
PLO office. Thousands of people
marched through the streets of the main
cities, carrying Palestinian flags and
raising slogans condemning the Israeli
occupation. Thousands of women
signed a petition to the UN General
Secretary, demanding the placement of
UN forces in the occupied West Bank
and Gaza Strip, to protect the Palesti-
nians, and Israeli withdrawal from all
occupied Arab land.
President Shadli Ben Jadid launched
an initiative for the convening of an
extraordinary Arab summit to deal only
with the uprising. This initiative was
warmly welcomed by Palestinian
leaders. PLO Chairman Yasir Arafat,
PFLP General Secretary George
Habash and DFLP General Secretary
Naef Hawatmeh met to discuss means
of supporting the uprising on March
14th, and afterwards met with the
Algerian President Ben Jadid. A joint
Palestinian—Algerian committee was
formed to follow up the efforts to con-
vene such a summit, aiming to convene
it in early April. As of this writing, the
necessary quorum of Arab states will-
ing to participate exists.
The Arab People’s Conference held
its first session for 1988 in Algeria, and
discussed the uprising at length. In the
closing statement, the conference >
is
ve
od
Demonstration in Yarmouk camp >
ers ae * a
ee
+.
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