Press Releases
BADIL Resource Center
05 June 2003
For Immediate Release
A full-page paid advertisement of the “People’s Campaign for Peace and Democracy” published in the Palestinian press today (5 June) represents the most recent attempt by Dr. Sari Nusseibeh to make believe that there is support among the Palestinian people for the more than one-year old “agreement” between the Palestinian academic and the former head of Israeli intelligence, Ami Ayalon. The list of some 760 signatories included in the advertisement, however, is hardly worth the money paid. It shows clearly that Nusseibeh-Ayalon are unable to recruit support among influential sectors of Palestinian society (http://pdf.alquds.com/6/page22.pdf).
Back in early May and coinciding with the popular preparations towards the 55th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba of 1948, public anger was stirred by massive publicity for this Campaign – also called ‘the Destination Map’ – falsely suggesting in its headlines that a Palestinian compromise on the refugees’ right of return would “guarantee a [Palestinian] state in the 1967 borders free of settlements and sovereignty over the capital Jerusalem” (paid advertisement, Nusseibeh-Ayalon, al-Quds, 7 May 2003). Insult was added to fury by the fact that Palestinian activists, especially non-refugees, were individually targeted to sign on to this initiative aimed at dividing Palestinian public opinion on the right of return. All Palestinian political groups responded with a stream of alerts warning the public to “not fall prey to the tricky ambush of the Zionist intelligence” (Fatah-Hebron District, 4 May 2003) and published statements denouncing the initiative. An official launching-conference scheduled for 5 May in Ramallah was eventually canceled due to these protests.
The Nusseibeh-Ayalon publicity campaign, conducted with apparently unlimited resources, cannot change reality: There is Palestinian consensus about the need for recognition and implementation of refugees’ right of return. This consensus has been affirmed on numerous occasions. Thus, for example, by the following memorandum endorsed by 80 Palestinian community organizations, public institutions and political groups in Palestine and in exile in October 2002:
MEMORANDUM CONCERNIGN PUBLIC OPINION ABOUT THE NUSSEIBEH-AYALON POSITION (excerpts)
“We Palestinians, the undersigned, reaffirm our right to return to our homes from which we were displaced in 1948, just as we have reaffirmed this right throughout the past 54 years of exile. We reaffirm that the right of return is a basic human right as set forth in international law and UN General Assembly Resolution 194. Inherent in the right of return is the right to housing and property restitution. State succession or occupation does not extinguish these rights.
We reaffirm that the right of return is an individual and collective right. The right of return is non-negotiable. Governments or other second parties cannot waive or extinguish the right of return.
We therefore condemn efforts by Sari Nusseibeh, […] to cede the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes of origin. We also condemn his latest public statement, prepared in concert with Ami Ayalon, the former head of the Israeli intelligence service, which unequivocally calls upon Palestinian refugees to waive their right to return to their homes, while recognizing the historical right of the ‘Jewish people’ in Palestine. […]
The Nusseibeh-Ayalon position is dangerous because it grants Israel impunity for war crimes, including mass expulsion and population transfer, as set forth in the Fourth Geneva Convention, and violates basic principles set forth in international law, UN resolutions and decisions adopted by the Palestinian National Council.
We reaffirm our right of return. Those who call upon us to cede our basic rights do not express the legitimate national interests of the Palestinian people; moreover, we do not consider them as belonging to the Palestinian people.”
Signatories
1. Palestinian Prisoner’s Society, head office, Bethlehem.
2. Al-Awda Charitable Society for Refugees in the Bethlehem Governorate.
3. Popular Service Committees in the West Bank Refugee Camps.
4. The National Charitable Society-Deheisheh Refugee Camp.
5. Palestinian National and Islamic Emergency Committee-Bethlehem.
6. Palestinian Teachers Movement, Hebron office
7. High Committee of Palestinian Students, Hebron
8. Popular Service Committee, Samm’o, Hebron
9. The Samm’o Municipality, Hebron.
10. Ibn Sina Cultural Center, Samm’o, Hebron.
11. General Union of Palestinian Students
12. Fatah Movement, Southern West Bank
13. Popular Service Committee, Doura, Hebron
14. Samm’o Cultural Center, Hebron
15. Fatah Movement, Samm’o, Hebron
16. Samm’o Youth Center, Hebron
17. Samm’o Agricultural Cooperation Society, Hebron.
18. Shabiba Movement, Hebron University.
19. The Committee for the Twinship of French Cities with Palestinian Refugee Camps
20. Al-'Arroub Youth Activity Center, Hebron.
21. Fatah Movement, al-'Arroub Refugee Camp, Hebron.
22. Popular Service Committee, al-'Arroub Refugee Camp, Hebron
23. Charitable Committee, al-'Arroub Refugee Camp, Hebron.
24. The Committee for the Protection of the Environment and the Landscape, al-‘Arroub Refugee Camp, Hebron.
25. Fatah Movement, Deir Samet, Nablus.
26. Committee for the Defense of the Palestinian Refugee Rights, Nablus
27. Yaffa Cultural Center, Balata Refugee Camp, Nablus.
28. Fatah Movement, Deheisheh Refugee Camp, Bethlehem.
29. IBDA’A Center, Deheisha Refugee Camp, Bethlehem.
30. Lajee Cultural Center, 'Aida Refugee Camp, Bethlehem.
31. Al-Rowwad Theater Group, 'Aida Refugee Camp, Bethlehem.
32. Popular Service Committee, 'Aida Refugee Camp, Bethlehem.
33. BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights, Bethlehem.
34. Popular Service Committee, al-'Azza Refugee Camp, Bethlehem.