The Palestinian Central Council held a two-day meeting on July 2nd and 3rd, 2000 in Gaza under the chairmanship of its President Saleem Zanoon, in the presence of President Yasser Arafat and the speaker of Palestinian Legislative Council Ahmed Qrei.

Full Text of the Communiqué

Pursuance to the natural and historic rights of the Palestinian people to establish its independent state.
In conformity with relevant international legitimacy resolutions including UN Resolutions 242, 338 and 181 as well as the Declaration of Independence issued in 1988 in Algiers.
 
The Palestinian Central Council, convened for two days on July 2nd and 3rd in Gaza city, hereby announces to the Palestinian people, the Arab nation, and the entire peoples of the world its determination to embody the Declaration of Independence issued by the Council in its 1988 session, concerning the establishment of the independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital; to assume sovereignty rights over the Palestinian territory occupied by Israel in June 1967 border. This should go into effect at the end of the Interim Period terminated on Sept. 13, 2000.

In view of the lack of real progress in the peace process on both the Interim and Final Status tracks, the PCC appeals to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, to all the Arab peoples, to the sponsors of the peace process i.e. the USA and Russia, to Japan, to the African and Islamic organizations, the non-aligned countries, and the Secretary General of the UN, to immediately act at all levels to safeguard the peace process against imminent collapse; and to back the quest of the Palestinian people to control the Palestinian territories occupied in June 1967 at the end of the Interim Period as agreed to by both sides, and request the international community to exercise pressure against the Israeli government to fulfill its commitments and pledges including the third redeployment, releasing Palestinian prisoners and detainees, and to secure a safe return for the displaced Palestinians.
The PCC declared to put this decision into action through delegating the Council's Committees to commence work towards its implementation.

The Council has decided to reactivate its Committees, to complete its formation to hold a state of permanent meeting to finalize plans on political, socio-economic, and legal aspect along with drafting relevant legislations for this purpose. The PCC empowers the PLO Executive Committee and the PNA to follow up the work of these committees.

The PCC reiterates its previous decision related to Final Status talks namely:

• A.   Its commitment to the right of the Palestinian refugees to return or adequate compensation in accordance with UN Resolution 194, and reject all attempts aiming at accommodating Palestinian refugees abroad, depriving them the right of return.
• B.   A complete Israeli withdrawal from all the Palestinian land occupied in June 1967, including Jerusalem, based on implementing the UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 and the principle of "Land for Peace is the legal basis of the Madrid Peace Conference.
• C.   Removing and dismantling all Jewish settlements built in the occupied territories and carrying out the Israeli military and civil withdrawal to the 4th of June 1967 borders.
• D.   East Jerusalem occupied by Israel in June 1967 is the capital of the independent Palestinian State. Peace will never prevail without the liberation of East Jerusalem from the Israeli occupation.

The PCC condemns the Israeli attempts to enact new legislations preventing the Palestinian refugees return and to maintain the Israeli decision taken in June 1967 with regard to annexing Jerusalem to Israel. The Council regards the annexation of Jerusalem and the enacting of new legislations by Israel in an attempt to prevent the return of refugees as illegal since they contradict with the UN Resolutions 252, 465 and 478.

Whereas the interim period ends at Sept. 13, the PCC has charged the PLO Executive Committee to take appropriate arrangements for the declaration of the independent Palestinian state in order to embody its control over the land of Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital.

The PCC, while declaring this historic decision to enhance security, peace and stability in the Middle East, addresses its appeal to all peace loving nations to firmly stand by international legitimacy resolutions and to work towards its implementation.
The statement urged all of the above to support the Palestinian people in exercising its legitimate rights including the right of self-determination and the establishment of its independent state on the basis of international legitimacy and its relevant decisions to what may consolidate peace, security and stability. The Palestinian State is the real guarantee for just, comprehensive, secure, and prosperous peace in the Middle East.

The PNA urged the various walks of life in the Palestinian society to unite ranks, for cohesion and unity, which can be achieved through reactivating the various institutions and departments of the PLO in and outside the homeland.

The PCC highly appreciates the performance of the PLO executive Committee for convening this round of the Council. To this effect, the Central Council charged the Executive Committee and the Presidency of the Council to jointly prepare a draft for the formation of a new National Council in accordance with the basic system and the decision of the PCC.

The Council salutes the steadfastness of the Palestinians in the Diaspora with special emphasis on those in Lebanon who rejected all schemes to accommodate them in other areas rather than Palestine and affirms their right to return home from where they were forcibly evacuated in 1948.
 
The Council hails the tremendous sacrifices of the Palestinian masses, which stood firmly on the anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba (catastrophe) expressing solidarity with our prisoners, and clinging to the right of our people to achieve independence. The Council reiterates that the principles of democracy and equality remain the only option for the Palestinian people to build its national authority and independent state.
 
Stemming from this strategic option, the Council calls upon the PLO Executive Committee and the PNA to foster democracy and political pluralism, to honor the independence of law, upgrading the legal system, fostering the rule of law, defending public freedom for all citizens and holding municipal elections to what may enhance the democratic life in Palestine.

In view of the paramount significance of participation by all Palestinian political factions in fostering the negotiation process in accomplishing our natural objectives of sovereignty and independence, the Council decides to authorize the Executive Committee to monitor the process of the Palestinian - Israeli negotiations. On this point some delegates asked for a complete review of the Middle East Peace Process with the Israeli side and reestablishing it on new basis.

The Council hailed the steadfastness of Palestinian prisoners at Israeli jails assuring them that the hour of freedom is coming soon.

The Council appreciated the big sacrifices rendered by the brotherly Lebanese people for the liberation of South Lebanon. It noted that the Israeli government's compliance to UN resolution 425 and its complete withdrawal from the Lebanese land comes to consolidate our view that Israel should follow suit in implementing UN Resolutions 242 and 338 which called for a complete Israeli withdrawal from all the occupied Palestinian and Arab lands.

The Council signaled out the need for holding an Arab summit to strengthen inter- Arab solidarity.

The Council members stood a minute to pay tribute to passing away Syrian President Hafez Assad, and wished the new Syrian leadership led by Gen. Bashar Assad success and to the brotherly Syrian people more progress and stability.

The Council saluted the Palestinian refugees in their camps in Lebanon and affirmed its commitment to the right of return for every refugee in compliance with UN Resolution 194.

The Council hailed the tremendous sacrifices offered by the Palestinians and assures the Palestinian martyrs that their sacrifices will not go in vain as the Palestinian independent state with Jerusalem as its capital is quite near.

Long live the free Arab Palestine.
Long live the independent Palestinian
State with Jerusalem as its capital.
Long live our nation.
Long live international solidarity
with the just struggle of
the Palestinian
people.

© 2005 Palestinian American Council