Following is the statement issued by the National and Islamic Forces on August 10, 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 Palestinian masses everywhere, our steadfast masses in Jerusalem

In a new escalatory crime to be added to the long list of crimes and massacres, and in mere military power show off, the government of the slaughterer Sharon raided and closed down the symbols of our Palestinian existence and presence in the city of Jerusalem and its suburbs. The government of Sharon raided the Orient House and the Governorate headquarters in Abu Deis, declared both areas as closed military zones, and raised the flag of the occupation after taking down the Palestinian flag. This constituted a symbolic step that can best be described as "dirty." They also took down the portrait of martyr Faisal Husseini. They also closed down nine Palestinian institutions, which are of civilian, charitable and social nature. These acts of aggression came on the same day when the Israeli F16 warplanes shelled the headquarters of the Palestinian police in Ramallah, thus provoking the feelings of dignity and nationalism in every Palestinian. They Israeli recent acts violate all signed agreements and cross all ethical, moral, legal, political and diplomatic borders, pushing the confrontation and conflict to a higher level of violence and escalation and closing all chances of any dialogue. This new crime represents the continuous attempts of the occupation to Judaize the city of Jerusalem, in addition to its attempts to desecrate the Aqsa Mosque and their restriction measures, which ban the Palestinian people from their right in prayers at the Aqsa Mosque. All this is a part of the bloody scheme, which also includes the policy of assassinations, which is a source of boasting by Sharon and his army leaders who do not distinguish between an old man, a child, a woman and a man or between one city and another, or one civilian installation and another security installation, or between one political faction and another.

These new crimes, which came with all forms of force, came as a new proof that the occupation measures in the past 34 years failed in changing the identity of the holy city and in Judaizing the city. The criminal Sharon could not enter the yard of the Aqsa Mosque and desecrate it until he was protected and guarded by three thousand soldiers. The criminal Landau, Security of Internal Security entered in disguise into the Orient House although he was protected by hundreds of soldiers. The step of raising the flag of the occupation was a new attempt to re-occupy the city after they failed in occupying the Palestinian national identity and spirit of the city.

Our Palestinian masses, our Mujahideen, our heroes of the Intifada and its striking forces everywhere,

This new escalatory step is another attempt to make us kneel and to strike our national will. This is but an introduction to more escalatory aggressive steps that seek to fight all national Arabs, Palestinians, Moslems, and Christians and all non-Jews and non-Israelis and non-Zionists. It is a new declaration of war and aggression and a call for confrontation. We will confront like we always did with our national unity and strong will and determination which have never been broken throughout the long years of occupation. These new coward steps will not frighten the Palestinian masses but will increase our determination to resist and escalate the Intifada. All members of the Palestinian people, and all members of the National and Islamic Forces and their supporters and friends are called upon to respond to this escalation with all possible and available means. All committees and cells are called upon to come up with appropriate responses that match this aggressive campaign with all courage, determination, and responsibility. These Zionist crimes will not pass without a proper response. Sharon has opened new doors for the conflict and we will live up to level and responsibility of this phase.

The National and Islamic Forces in the city of Jerusalem call on all commissions and committees under its command and all national institutions to declare a state of highest alert and call on the Palestinian masses in Jerusalem to participate in the following program:

- Saturday and Sunday, August 11, 12, 2001, two days of escalation, rage and confrontation with the occupation soldiers and their settlers all over Jerusalem and its suburbs.

- Monday, August 13, 2001, a day of general strike.

- Tuesday, August 14, 2001, a day for popular marches and a sit-in at the stairs of Damascus Gate at 12:00 pm.

These activities constitute the first part of an integrated and continuous national plan while the other phases of the plan will be announced later in order to make Sharon and his government understand that he opened the gates of evil on himself and the region and until he realizes that every home in Jerusalem is an "Orient House" and a headquarter of the Governorate and the other national institutions.
Jerusalem will remain the symbol of our pride, dignity, identity and the capital of the Palestinian state.

The Palestinian masses in Jerusalem will remain the loyal in the front lines along with the strugglers for freedom, independence and in the heart of the Intifada.
 
Long live the Palestinian national unity
Long Live Jerusalem, the capital of the Palestinian Independent State
Glory to resistance and the Intifada until achieving victory