Invitation 

The National Committee for the Rights of the Internally Displaced is organizing a “Return Rally”, on Saturday 11-3-2000, from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. in the sports hall of Nazareth. The Rally will be conducted under the slogan: 

 “Yes for the Support of the Internally Displaced, and Their Right of Return” 

We invite the Arab population in general and the Internally Displaced in particular, all the parties and the political movements, institutions, and associations, to attend the rally, to raise the issue of the Internally Displaced Palestinians, uprooted by force from our original towns and villages 

We invite the media, and all individuals concerned about the Internally Displaced Palestinians, to give media exposure to our neglected cause and to re-affirm our right of return to our towns and villages of origin. 

Yes for the Right of Return of all Internally Displaced Palestinians  Yes for the Right of Return of all Palestinian Refugees 

Aims: 
 1. To gather internally displaced Palestinians and their supporters; to invite all institutions and associations; to raise the issue of the internally displaced and re-affirm their right of return. This in order to transform our issue into one of the major issues of the political speech and agenda of Palestinian parties and institutions. 
 2. To disseminate publicly the recommendations of the National Committee for the Internally Displaced issued by the Committee's meeting in November 1999 and stating:  

• The need to hold on to the resolutions of the 1995 Qasr al-Salam Conference, which re-affirm the Right of Return and reject all compensation and re-settlement schemes; 
• The role of the National Committee for the Rights of the Internally Displaced as the legitimate representative of the internally displaced Palestinians;
• A warning to the Israeli delegation, and a call for caution to the Palestinian delegation in the final status negotiations on the refugee question, of the consequences of a violation of the right of return, and of the fact that we will consider any agreement which denies the right of return as nil and illegitimate.

3. To invite international and local media to attend the rally and to disseminate the voice of the internally displaced and their National Committee which re-affirms the Right of Return and rejects all other schemes of compensation and re-settlement. 

Program 
Speeches (one hour)  

• National Committee of the Internally Displaced 
• Higher Arab Monitoring Committee
• Nazareth Municipality (host of the Rally)
• PLO Department for Refugees Affairs
• BADIL Resource Center & BADIL Friends Forum
• Ittijah
• Teddy Katz, researcher on massacres committed against Palestinians;
• Written statements (political movements, al-Jabha/“Hadash”, al-Tajmo’a, Arab List, Islamic movement, Abna’ al Balad, a.o.)

Performances (one hour) 

• Safouria dancing group
• Ibda’ dancing group, Deheishe camp

Recommendations: 
The National Committee of the Internally Displaced will read its manifesto and disseminate it among the participants 

For more information contact: BADIL Resource Center, PO Box 728, Bethlehem, Palestine; tel/fax. 274-7346; email, info@badil.org.

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