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Statements

Letter addressed to President Arafat
from the Palestinian National and Islamic Forces
January 13, 2001



Following is the letter addressed to President Yasser Arafat issued by the National and Islamic Forces on January 13, 2001; signatories are: Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fateh); Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas); Palestinian People’s Party (PPP); Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP); Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP); 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):

In the Name of God, the Forgiving and Compassionate

Our Brother, the President and Struggler Abu Ammar, god save him The President of State of Palestine President of the PLO Executive Committee President of the Palestinian National Authority

We approach you in the name of the strugglers of the Intifada and their people with greetings and appreciation while affirming the importance highlighted by our people and their national and Islamic forces and their institutions on reinforcing their national unity and continue with the blessed Intifada that consolidated this unity until it achieves its goals in expelling the occupation and extracting our national rights in freedom, independence and return. This victorious process is subjected these days to a US-Israeli conspiracy that aims to abort our process through the proposals made by President Clinton; these proposals that try to attack our rights in the land, Jerusalem and sovereignty and seek to consolidate the settlements and abolish the right of refugees in return. We reaffirm our support to the decision taken by the PLO Executive Committee in rejecting these proposals and call for clinging to this decision and frustrate all maneuvers that aim to drag the Palestinian position into the trap of dealing with the US document as a basis for negotiations. We warn of the dangers of the so-called principle acceptance - even under conditions or reservations - on this poisonous document.

We express our deep concern and the concern of our people regarding these maneuvers and current contacts and negotiations which the US and Israeli sides want to lead to a declaration of principles or framework agreement or a US Presidential Declaration to be read in the presence of both parties and maybe with international participation in order to transform Clinton's proposals into a new term of reference for the peace process and as a basis for future negotiations as an alternative to the international resolutions that recognize the national rights of our people. We express our confidence in your constant position that adheres to the national constants; however, we warn of falling into the trap of dealing with these tricky scenarios; we also affirm our rejection to return to the so-called security coordination regardless of any condition; this would lead to wasting the major sacrifices that were offered by our people, and affects negatively on our national unity and the cohesion of the national front at a time when we are in bad need of unifying our front to confront the continuous Israeli aggression.

Your Excellency, we are confident that the voice of the Intifada People who support your steadfastness in confronting the international and regional pressures will be higher than all the voices that call for frustration and giving up the rights. Our people are not tired despite the cruelty of the aggression; on the contrary, our people confirm every day that they are ready to exert more sacrifices and are determined to continue the process of the Intifada and resistance as a means to achieve the goals. Our people realize that this is the only path to force the Israeli enemy, regardless of who rules it and the US administration, regardless of who leads it, to withdraw and recognize the rights of our people. The consensus of our people to continue with the Intifada until it achieves its goals requires from all of us to be prepared for a long battle and prepare its requirements, which requires reconsidering our internal condition and address it in a radical manner to secure the components of steadfastness. We hope that your excellency will call for a broad meeting of the PLO leaderships, the PNA, the representatives of national and Islamic forces and several influential social institutions towards ratifying a national program for steadfastness and set up its implementation mechanisms.

God help you in your tasks to the best interest of our people and homeland Together until victory, until liberating Jerusalem, and achieving independence and return

The State of Palestine
January 13, 2001