2023-07-30

ًWest Bank and Gaza

West Bank / Gaza

Human rights and civil society organizations, including MUSAWA, issued a statement addressing the general secretaries of the Palestinian national and Islamic factions, days before their meeting in Cairo, calling on them to unite and agree on a unified national strategy to confront the occupation, to respect Palestinian citizens' rights, freedoms, dignity, and right to choose their representatives, as well as to adopt clear policies to bolster their resilience in the face of the occupation.

The statement is as follows:

Your Excellencies, the general secretaries of the Palestinian national and Islamic factions,

We view the meeting of the general secretaries, that is to be held in Cairo, as extremely important, which comes amid major unprecedented challenges that face our national cause, and in the midst of the ferocious Israeli attack aimed at eradicating the physical and moral presence of the Palestinian people. This prompts us to address this letter urging you to expedite the arrangement of internal affairs on a national partnership basis, agree on a unified national strategy to combat the occupation, respect Palestinian citizens' rights, freedoms, and dignity, particularly their right to choose their representatives, and issue clear policies to bolster the Palestinian people's resilience in the face of the occupation.

We hope this meeting will come up with clear and specific decisions on the following topics:

– A unified position with clear and specific work plan with timeframe to end the division and unite the organizations and associations in both the West-Bank and Gaza, within a liberation national program based on full political partnership between all Palestinians.

– Holding general elections (Presidential, legislative, and national council) within a specific timeframe, ensuring that they are completed before the end of the current year, and work on providing an environment that ensures the freedom and integrity of elections, allowing equal participation for all political parties, as well as enabling all electoral lists to carry out their election campaigns unobstructed and without threats, and freely promote their electoral programs, ensuring that election results are respected by all

– Holding elections for Local Councils in Gaza as a legal and natural right, separate from any political developments, given that these are elections for councils that provide public services, and thus every Gazan citizen should be able to have a say in who manages their public life.

– The importance of protecting public freedoms, ending political arrests, harassment, and summonses based on legitimate political activity, and ensuring that all citizens enjoy freedom of opinion and expression.

Therefore, we extend our gratitude to the Arab Republic of Egypt for hosting this meeting, while emphasizing that this meeting cannot fail, as failure leads to further decline and fall, and we are adamant this decline will have dire consequences for the entire national project.

Signatory Organizations:

1. The Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR)
2. Arab World Democracy and electoral Monitor (Al Marsad)
3. AMAN – The Coalition for Accountability and Integrity
4. Al-Haq Organization
5. MIFTAH – The Palestinian Initiative for The Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy
6. SHAMS ­­­– Human Rights and Democracy Media Center
7. The Palestinian Center for Peace and Democracy (PCPD)
8. The Palestinian Development Women Studies Association (PDWSA)
9. MUSAWA ­– The Palestinian Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession
10. ISTIQLAL –The Civil Commission for the Independence of the Judiciary and Rule of Law
11. MADA – The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms
12. The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development (PWWSD)
13. Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counselling (WCLAC)
14. Hurryyat – The Center for Defense of Liberties and Civil Rights
15. REFORM – The Palestinian Association for Empowerment and Local Development
16. Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Center (JLAC)
17. Bisan Center for Research and Development
18. Sharek Youth Forum
19. Annajadh Palestinian Women’s Development Society
20. Women Media and Development (TAM)
21. Mothers School Society
22. Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees (UPWC)
23. The Association of Women’s Action for Training and Rehabilitation (AOWA)
24. Women’s Studies Centre (WSC)
25. The Civil Committee for Monitoring Elections
26. HORIZON – The Center for Political Studies and Media Outreach
27. The Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO)