Following is the statement issued by the National and Islamic Forces on May 12, 2001; signatories are: Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fateh); Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP); Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas); Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP); Palestinian People’s Party (PPP); Palestinian Democratic Union (FIDA); Palestinian Popular Struggle Front; Palestinian Liberation Front; Islamic Jihad Movement; Arab Liberation Front; Palestinian Arab Front; Popular Front—General Command; Islamic National Salvation Party; and Popular Liberation War Pioneers (Sa’iqa):

Our great Palestinian masses
Our Arab and Islamic Masses
Our heroes of the Intifada

Here, we can see your blessed Intifada, the Intifada of Al-Aqsa, Al-Quds, Independence and Return, gets stronger and stronger through the magnificent steadfastness which is affirmed by our struggling people in face of the oppressive Zionist aggression. The waves of aggression are broken every day on the rocks of this steadfastness; the Zionist invaders and those who support them from the Zionists in America thought that they could weaken and wear out the determination and will of this heroic people, the people of steadfastness and confrontation- the courageous people.

The waves of Zionist aggression that keep escalating in quantity and quality under the supervision of the slaughterer Sharon and with full participation in the crime by the face of peace and the deceiver Peres with a racist government that seeks towards ethnic cleansing and calls for aggression on the Arab and Islamic nation from Aswan to Tehran. These waves affirm the fact that this racist government still denies all the rights of our Palestinian people. These waves seek to break the will of the Palestinian people. Since this is impossible to achieve, dealing with the racist government of Sharon-Peres under various titles, initiatives and proposals, the last of which was Mitchell's Report which ignored the core of the conflict - the Israeli occupation is the peak of violence and terrorism - and denied the Palestinian people their legitimate right in resisting occupation towards freedom, independence and return to their homes and properties from which they were evicted, must launch from the need to isolate it locally, regionally and internationally. We must not open the doors in front of this government for tricky political initiatives as it exercises the worst forms of aggression against our people. The continuation of the Intifada and resistance and the clinging to the constants that reinforce the will of our Palestinian people is the sole path that can secure the mobilization of potentials of our people and nation in the battle and reinforces the official and popular Arab and Islamic comprehensive role in order to engage once again in the eternal battle of dignity.

Launching and releasing the potentials of the Arab masses to assume their role and express their will against the Zionist aggression constitute a critical part of the battle of our nation with the Zionist aggression. We salute our Arab and Islamic nation as they responded to the appeal made by the National and Islamic Forces to act and organize festivals and marches to support the Intifada. We extend a special salute to the masses in the brotherly Jordan who acted to support our people and their Intifada despite the restrictions imposed by the Jordanian security services. On this occasion, we demand allowing the masses in the Arab and Islamic countries and the committees that support the Intifada to express their solidarity through festivals, marches and sit-ins, and through forming family solidarity committees and financial support to the Intifada and resistance and not to use the police methods to curb the mass moves against the Israeli aggression on the Palestinian people, just like what happened recently in Jordan. Such an act should be condemned and denounced and must not be repeated; we demand immediate release of all detainees.

The solid national unity constitutes the strong dam in face of the waves of aggression. The will and determination to move forward and confront and sacrifice deters any movements towards the inside and individual wrongdoings that harm the unity of our people. All efforts must be mobilized to protect the national institutions and security services, which have become a direct target to the Zionist aggression. Our institutions have their authorities that must not be touched by wrong acts, such as the breaking into the Awda hospital by the security services, or through the pursuit and question directed to activists in the marches or through abusing them. The task of the security services is to protect our people from their Zionist enemies and their collaborators who should be struck with an iron fist, especially who are proven guilty of collaborating in the Zionist assassinations of the Intifada activists.

In order to affirm the unity of our people, we repeat the need to prepare for the popular conferences in the districts and towards the formation of self-defense and popular committees that constitute the basis for these conferences.

The National and Islamic Forces call on our masses to participate in the following activities:
 
1- Tuesday, May 15, 2001: the 53rd anniversary of the Nakba. A day to fee proud in steadfastness and clinging to the constants and rights that will never be lost. No right can be lost if the owner of that right keeps demanding his right. No right can be lost if its owner keeps fighting for it through abiding by the program set by the Higher National Committee marking the anniversary of the Nakba with the participation of the National and Islamic Forces in all districts.

2- Friday, May 18, 2001: A day for Jerusalem and a day to cling to the Islamic and Christian holy sites and call for prayers at the Aqsa Mosque. A day of marches that affirm the Arab and Islamic nature of Jerusalem and reject the Zionist attempts to Judaize the city and empty it from its Palestinian institutions.

The anniversary of the Nakba, which coincides with the oppressive Zionist aggression in its worst forms and at highest peak, confirms that through insistence, determination and will in the Intifada and resistance, victory will be achieved by our people. The results of this heroic steadfastness are starting to appear through the breaking of the front of the enemy and adversaries and through the international solidarity with the rights of our Palestinian people. Therefore, we need more unity, determination, insistence, and permanent readiness to make sacrifices.
 

Long live the blessed Intifada
Glory and eternity for our martyrs
Fast recovery to the injured and freedom for our heroic prisoners
It is an Intifada until victory