Delegation to the meeting of secretaries general of the Palestinian factions held in Egypt, July 30, 2023. Photo: WAFA.
During the closing of the meeting of the secretaries general of the resistance groups held in the Egyptian city of El Alamein, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas passionately appealed for unity and collective Palestinian action.
In his remarks after the recently concluded meeting of the secretaries general of the Palestinian resistance, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas emphasized that the gathering marked a crucial and significant initial step towards completing the dialogue and achieving the desired objectives promptly.
During the closing of the meeting, which took place July 30 in Egypt, Abbas called for collaboration among the groups to work towards common goals, put an end to division, attain unity, and address internal issues.
The Palestinian leader expressed his desire to establish a commission that would conclude discussions on the various issues addressed during the meeting. He further proposed convening a similar gathering to announce to the people the long-awaited moment of ending division and restoring Palestinian national unity.
Additionally, he stressed the urgent need for holding presidential and legislative elections for the Palestinian National Council. He also called for the participation of Palestinians in Jerusalem in running for office and casting their votes without hindrance or obstruction by the occupation forces.
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Abbas highlighted the ongoing obstructions by the Israel regarding these elections and reiterated his demand for the international community to exert pressure on “Israel” to permit the electoral process to proceed.
Mahmoud Abbas urged everyone to unite in confronting the challenges on behalf of Jerusalem, emphasizing the significant historical responsibility to safeguard the rights, sanctities, and lives of the Palestinian people. In his address, he expressed gratitude to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for hosting the meeting and highlighted the host’s sincere commitment to collaborative efforts in ending internal division and accomplishing Palestinian national unity.
Abbas also extended his gratitude to all the brotherly and friendly countries that have shown concern and commitment to collaborate in achieving a comprehensive national agreement.
Hamas stresses importance of national formula and Palestinian resilience
During the meeting, Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Hamas movement’s political bureau, emphasized the significance of the current extraordinary stage in the conflict with the enemy, which demands collective thinking and exceptional decisions to counter Zionist policies.
Haniyeh stressed the importance of continuing with these meetings until an all-encompassing national formula is achieved.
Furthermore, he underlined the necessity of devising suitable national strategies to bolster the resilience of the Palestinian people in Jerusalem and to provide support to the resistance fighters in the occupied West Bank.
Meanwhile, Hamas leader Ismail Radwan emphasized the urgency of ending the Oslo Accords and banning political arrests.
Radwan also acknowledged Hamas’ active engagement and communication with the Islamic Jihad movement, expressing regret over its absence at the Egyptian meeting.
According to Nafez Azzam, the secretary of the Jihad Political Bureau, the group’s decision not to attend was in response to the Palestinian Authority’s refusal to release detained fighters.
Regarding this matter, Azzam expressed hope that Mahmoud Abbas would respond positively to the demands and contacts made.
Nonetheless, he reiterated the group’s preparedness to visit Cairo once the meeting concluded, with a delegation led by Secretary General Ziyad al-Nakhaleh.
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During the meeting, Jamil Mezher, the deputy secretary general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, urged attendees to reject the possibility of reaching a political solution with the occupation or relying on the US government.
Mezher called for the reconstruction of the Palestine Liberation Organization based on a national and democratic framework.
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/KZ/BLA
