The Homeland Calls Us!

Socialist Outlook February 2000

Hurt by what transpires on the land of Palestine with the weakening and disparagement of the people together with the forgoing of their rights, we, as ordinary people driven by our national identification and concern, address you on behalf of working together to correct the situation we have arrived at.

After the Oslo agreements, the Palestinian leadership spoke of a state with Jerusalem as its capital, the return of the refugees and the displaced, the dismantling of settlements, the liberation of prisoners, and the preparing of the economic groundwork to become the Singapore of the entire region. Some were deceived, and celebrated in the streets by what they claimed was victory.

Yet, after six years of Oslo, more lands are robbed while settlements expand, the conspiring against the issue of refugees accelerates behind the scenes, and Palestinian jails close their doors on our own sons and daughters. Jerusalem has not returned, and Singapore has not arrived. The people have been divided into two groupings: the select who rule and steal, and the majority which complains and searches for someone to save it.

It is a frightening sequence of deception and lies which will be deeply harmful and ruinous in the final settlement negotiations.

In addition to this, the Palestinian Authority has followed a horrifying policy of corruption, humiliation and exploitation of the Palestinian people, as though the Oslo agreement was a trading of the homeland for the affluence of the corrupted in the Palestinian Authority. The president of the PNA has widely opened the doors for opportunists to spread corruption throughout the Palestinian community. Economic conditions have deteriorated, community relations have weakened and moral and ethical standards have loosened. Health, education and judiciary institutions have been brought to ruin.

The danger bell must sound in every village, city and refugee camp, in every bend and corner, and even in every shop, house and office. The homeland is being sold and the people are being let down and crushed.

Let us stand together against this tyranny and corruption. The injustice cannot be stopped but by the collective efforts of the deprived. And the oppressor cannot be stopped but by the tenacity of believers in change.