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Final Statement:
The meeting was convened in a period characterized by growing challenges and threats to the Palestinian national question accompanied by more suffering inflicted on the Palestinian people by the Israeli occupation, state terrorism and the denial of basic human and national rights.
Palestinians, however, remain determined to preserve and defend their basic national rights. They clearly reject all initiatives by some Israelis and Palestinians to take advantage of the siege imposed on our people and their national issue to distort the significance of these rights. The recent “Geneva Understandings” is yet another manoeuvre aimed at shaking the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and is an extension of previous initiatives, all of which were totally rejected. We Palestinians have responded by continuing the Intifada and upholding with even more determination our basic national rights foremost among them the right of return to our cities and villages of origin in historic Palestine.
In the context of the forced dispersal and exile of our people, national unity remains sacred and the key to attaining our national rights. The Right-of-Return Coalition is an expression and a voice of this unity as it includes among its members the Association of the Internally Displaced Palestinians inside Israel as well as refugee initiatives from the West Bank, Gaza Strip and the wider diaspora. The Coalition makes major efforts to strengthen unity on the refugee question, challenge the isolation and marginalization of Palestinian refugees in the host countries and coordinate refugee initiatives within historic Palestine and outside. It encourages and supports refugee actions to build a solid community base able to pressure all relevant parties to implement the right of return in accordance with UN Resolution 194.
In relation to current political developments the Coalition emphasizes that:
1- The right of return is a basic, non-negotiable and indivisible right; it cannot be bartered away by any Palestinian body. Thus the Coalition rejects all such political initiatives regardless of their source. 2- The right of return is an individual and a collective right as well as an historical and a legal right recognized by all international humanitarian and human rights law. This is the basis for our legitimate claims and our endeavors to attain this right. 3- The Palestine Right of Return Coalition is a body that speaks for the interests of the refugees. It has no political ambitions believing that PLO is the sole representative of all Palestinians. 4- The Coalition is part of the broader refugee movement in general, and the right of return movement in particular. It supports and aims to cooperate and coordinate with other supporters of this movement as long as this does not contradict its objectives. 5- Peace and stability in our region cannot be achieved without a just solution of the Palestinian refugee question. Such a solution must be based on all relevant international conventions, treaties and other international law that guarantee the right of return for the Palestinian refugees according to UN Resolution 194.
Based on an evaluation of its work over the past year, participants in the 4th annual meeting discussed working papers presented by delegates from various regions. The papers dealt with the Coalition’s internal organizational structure with the aim of improving its capacity to undertake its commitments, foremost of these, the defense of the right of return of the Palestinian refugees.
As a result, the Coalition approved new bylaws and established a nine-member executive: three from Palestine and one each from Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, the United States and Canada. This is in addition to the secretary, a position entrusted temporarily to BADIL. Four regional offices, one in Palestine, one for the Arab host countries and one each in Europe and North America will handle coordination and follow up.
The meeting also agreed on a set of recommendations on how the Coalition should function internally and relate to the political environment:
A: Internal Organization
B: Political Environment
In conclusion, the Coalition salutes the courageous Intifada and the Palestinian people, including their leaders imprisoned by Israel, with special recognition of Hussam Khader, head of the Committee for the Defense of Refugee Rights in Palestine.
Long live the Intifada Eternal glory for our pious martyrs The right of return is the real road map for Palestine
Endorsed
by: Right of Return Committee-Denmark BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights Right of Return Committee-Sweden. Popular Service Committees-West Bank Refugee Camps Right of Return Committee-Netherlands Union of Youth Activity Centers - Palestine Refugee Camps Arab Culture Society, Poland Committee for the Defense of Palestinian Refugee Rights, Palestine Palestinian Community - France Palestinian NGO Forum, Lebanon Right of Return Committee - Germany Aidun Group- Lebanon Aidun Group-Syria Al-Awda Coalition, North America Al-Awda U.K.
BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and
Refugee Rights |
