Our great masses in the homeland and the Diaspora, our Arab and Islamic masses, our honest and true friends all over the world, families of martyrs and wounded and prisoners, our struggler, fighter and Mujahideen brethrens who carry the banner of the Intifada and resistance, and those who carry and protect the national constants, and those who are formulating the new Palestinian and Arab dawn..

One whole year has passed from the life of the glorious Intifada, a year of challenge, one whole year has ended while our people are still under the criminal siege and the oppressive closure. One whole year of shelling by planes, helicopters, tanks, and heavy machine guns. One whole year of criminal Zionist killings; one year which witnessed the martyrdom of seven hundred Palestinians, including 170 children, while there were 30,000 Palestinians injured, including several thousands who suffer permanent disabilities. One whole year in which thousands of Palestinian laborers lost their jobs and their bread. One whole year of destruction of homes and uprooting of trees. One whole year of patience and steadfastness. One whole year in which scores of cadres and leaders were assassinated by the coward bullets and rockets. One whole year of a total war in order to break the will of the Palestinian people. The rulers in Tel Aviv declared a total war through closing the Orient House and other Palestinian institutions in the city of Jerusalem, which witnessed the eruption of the spark of the heroic Intifada. this year in the life of the Intifada is a year of dignity and pride. A year of sacrifice at the altar of the dignity of the Arab and Islamic nation. A year of martyrdom for the sake of Jerusalem and al-Aqsa Mosque.

Our great masses and nation everywhere, our heroes of the Intifada and resistance.. since the eruption of the Intifada, the US-Israeli attempts have never ceased to try to eliminate and stop the Intifada with projects, schemes, initiatives, pressures at all times with the use of the US-Israeli war machine through killing, siege, closure, destruction and aggression. However, the Intifada which represents the live conscience of our nation was able to stand firm and move forward towards freedom and independence; the Intifada inflicted human, economic, political and security losses on the criminal Israeli occupation. All this happened because of the unity of our people in this Intifada. The unity of the political, national and Islamic forces contributed greatly in the continuation of the Intifada and in its capacity to overcome the various interpretations and disputes at difficult and several phases and with the PNA. The Intifada was able to strike and break the Sharonic Israeli security and made Israeli worry about their security everywhere. The Intifada was also able to shake the pillars of Zionist settlements and freeze it and transfer the life of settlers into a hard and unbearable situation in many of the settlements.

The US is trying these days to exploit the events that took place in the US in order to circumvent and destroy the Intifada through exerting pressure on the PNA. The rumors and reports about pressure on Sharon is no more than tactical pressure to facilitate the capacity of the US to establish its international alliance, which requires warnings and calming the major conflict in the region, especially the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Fatah Movement warns of the attempts that target the Intifada. Fatah affirms the legitimacy of the Palestinian struggle and the Intifada and the resistance with all means against the invaders and occupiers. Fatah affirms that the US talk about fighting terrorism lacks any sense of credibility because those who stand in alliance with Israel and offer unlimited support at all levels cannot claim that they are fighting terrorism. War against terrorism must start against Zionist terrorism which is making Palestinians and Arabs suffer for more than one hundred years.

Fatah Movement extends all appreciation and respect and honoring to the martyrs of the Intifada and vows the Palestinian masses that it will continue on the same path until achieving the noble goals for which the martyrs sacrificed their lives.

Fatah affirms its determination to continue with the Intifada and resistance until achieving freedom and independence and would like to affirm the following:

1- The Intifada and resistance constitute the option of Fatah Movement and the option of all forces and the whole Palestinian people towards ending occupation and settlement and the establishment of the sovereign Palestinian independent state with al-Quds as its capital and securing the rights of refugees to return to their homes and properties from which they had been evicted. This goal is the law of the Intifada and it is a political goal of the whole Palestinian people.

2- The national unity realized in the Intifada needs more reinforcement, including the moving from the phase of unity on the field into political unity in the context of creating the Palestinian decision and the unity of the front of resistance on the ground.

3- Fatah Movement affirms that any proposals, initiatives, or ideas that do not lead to a timetable for complete withdrawal from occupied Palestinian and Arab territories will be rejected because it will not provide security, peace and stability in the region.

4- Fatah Movement calls on the Arab and Islamic nation to participate actively in the activities to mark the first anniversary of the Intifada, as announced by the National and Islamic Forces and the Arab parties and forces. September 28, 2001, at 12:30 pm, there will be three minutes of halt of work in commemoration of the martyrs of the Intifada. Fatah Movement calls on the Arab and Islamic nation to mark this anniversary. Fatah calls for the broadest solidarity in face of the US and Israeli attempts to circumvent the Intifada.

5- Fatah Movement calls on the PNA to expedite setting up a program to reinforce the steadfastness of our people and assist the sectors that lost their source of income and work during the Intifada, especially workers, graduate students, and others.

6- Fatah Movement extends appreciation to the Arab and Islamic masses and Palestinian Arab and Islamic communities all over the world and to all forces that supported the Intifada.

Glory and eternity to our martyrs
Fast recovery to our wounded
Freedom to our prisoners
The Intifada will continue until defeating occupation and the departure of settlers and the establishment of the independent Palestinian state with al-Quds al-Shareef as its capital

Fatah Higher Committee September 26, 2001