Central Council Statement

Gaza, February 4th, 2000

At the end of the general discussion session, the Palestinian
Central Council decided the following

First:

To proclaim the sovereignty of the Independent Palestinian State this year

The PCC reconfirms that the State of Palestine, with Jerusalem as its capital, is the natural right of the Palestinian people, on the basis of UN resolution181 of 1947 and in conformity with the Declaration of Independence of 1988.

With their sacrifices and legendary resistance, the Palestinian people are the only ones who have the right to decide to proclaim the sovereignty of the independent State of Palestine, and the Pa1estinian Liberation Organization - the PLO - as the only legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, is the higher reference for this national decision, that no party can negotiate or violate.

In this context, by the end of the five years interim period, in May 1999, an international consensus emerged on the need to achieving a  final settlement within one year, which was taken  in consideration by the PCC ino  its last session, and on the basis of which the concerned parties later concluded  the 1ast Sharm-Al-Sheikh agreement.

Taking these considerations into account, the PCC confirms the need to proclaim the sovereignty of the State of Palestine within this year, and the need to take all appropriate measures and steps, as wel1 as to make all the required international contacts in view to accomplish this.

The PCC entitles the Executive Committee to follow up and complete the activities of the committees that the PCC has formed, including the Constitution committee and the Committees dealing with the political, economic, legal, and social planning issues, and to prepare the required legislation,

Second:

The Palestinian-Israeli negotiations

Having listened to thorough reports about the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations on both interim and final status levels, the PCC confirms the necessity for the Israeli side to immediately fulfill all the obligations of the interim status in all fields.

The PCC rejects all Israeli attempts aiming evading the implementation of these obligations. For the PCC, the Israeli government's failure to adhere to the dates set for  redeployment would entail the collapse of the entire peace process.

The PCC considers that Israeli implementation of the interim status obligations forms a binding condition for the progress of permanent status negotiations. The PCC believes that the Israeli government's procrastination in implementing these obligations and commitments is evidence that the Israeli government is not serious towards the entire peace process.

The PCC appeals to all countries concerned by the peace process to move immediately, to salvage the peace-process and to  achieve "the peace of the braves" by putting these agreements into effect in order to ensure the fulfillment of a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, recalling the need to compel the Israeli government to adhere to the implementation of these agreements and to honor the due dates.

Some PCC members called for the need to conduct a comprehensive review of the whole peace process with the Israeli side and to rebuild it on new basis.

Third:

Final status issues

Based on the national guidelines approved by the successive Palestinian National Councils; relying upon the Declaration of national independence and the resolutions of international legality, and in the light of the beginning of final status negotiations, the PCC confirms the following:

I) The refugee problem:

The PCC confirms the right of the displaced Pa1estinian refugees to return to their homes and to their motherland according to UN resolution 194. T'he PCC asserts that the Palestinian refugees' right of return is the cornerstone of the whole peace process. Peace or stability cannot be achieved while the Palestinian refugees are homeless, in exile, with no future or rights.

In this context, the PCC confirms his absolute rejection of  the Israeli position that disregards the Palestinian refugees-related-UN resolutions, and all Israeli attempts aiming at resettling the refugees,  giving them the citizenship of the host countries and preventing them from returning to their homeland and homes. The PCC calls upon all Arab and international parties to stand firm in the face of these Israeli  to attempts aiming at resettling the refugees and depriving them of their right to return home.

2) Comprehensive Israeli withdrawal is a must:

The PCC confirms his total adherence to an Israel comprehensive and full withdrawal from all the Palestinian territories occupied in June 1967 including occupied East Jerusalem, in conformity with UN Security Council resolution 242.

The PCC rejects all Israeli attempts to evade the resolutions of international Legality, as the Peace Process that started in Madrid stipulated the implementation of Security Council resolutions 242, 338, and 425 and affirmed the principle of Land for Peace.

3) Israeli settlements are illegal:

The PCC condemns the construction of settlements carried out by the Israeli government, as well as the confiscation of  Palestinian lands and natural resources, house demolitions, and the building of bypaas roads  in violation of international law and  UN resolutions as well as of the signed agreements.

The PCC recalls that  settlements were established as a result of the Israeli occupation of our land and are therefore illegal. All Israeli settlements should be evacuated and removed from the Palestinian territory together with the withdrawal of Israeli military and civil administration to the June 4th, 1967 borders.

4) Jerusalem is the Capital of the Independent Palestinian State

Holy Jerusalem is the capital of our Independent Palestinian State, and peace can not be achieved unless Jerusalem is restored as the free capital of the Independent Palestinian State.

The PCC calls upon the intertional community to take effective and decisive moves in order to honor and apply  international legal resolutions  rejecting Israeli annexation and  condemning settlement activities  in East Jerusalem.

Fourth:

Higher National Steering Committee on Negotiations

Based on the importance of the participation of all factions and forces, in order to reinforce the negotiation performance in view of accomplishing our national mission for independence and sovereignty, the PCC entitles the   Executive Committee to reinforce the Higher National  Steering Committee for Palestinian-Israeli Negotiations.

Fifth:

Fourth Geneva Convention

The PCC welcomes the convening of the Conference of Higher Contracting Parties on Israeli violations of the Fourth Geneva Convention on July 15t last year.. The PCC asks the concerned parties to act in accordance with the resolution adopted by the conference and to resume it, in the light of the continued Israeli violation of the Convention, in order to put an end to it.

Sixth:

Activating PLO institutions

Due to the great national responsibility shouldered by our people and the PLO leadership, and due to the obligations of the current stage, the PCC decided to form the agreed upon committees to activate PLO institutions and departments. These committees will submit their reports to the Executive Committee to take the appropriate decisions. In this context, the PCC decided the following:

A. The PCC entitles the Executive Committee and the presidency of the Palestine National council to submit a study to form the new Palestine National Council according to the constitution and the relevant Palestine National Council resolutions. .

B. Confirmis the activation of the role of the meetings of thc Central Council rounds as stated in the basic law.

C. The PCC cal1s on the Executive Committee to activate and develop its performance and commitment towards the periodicity of its meetings according to the basic law as well to carry out its responsibilities as a reference for the Palestinian National Authority and to follow up its actions.

D. Based on the historic and important role of the popular unions and organizations in our people's struggle, and as one of the main popular basis in the process of building civil society, the PCC calls on all unions and popular organizations to hold their public conference on professional and democratic bases, in a way that guarantees activating, developing and unifying these unions and organizations within the coming four months.

The PCC calls on the concerned organs to provide all kinds of supports to these unions to accomplish this goal and reactivate the Higher Council of Popular Organizationsl.

Seventh:

Reinforcing national unity

The PCC confirms the mission of the Committee for national dialogue to pursue a comprehensive national dialogue with all the parties, factions and forces, and to ensure a good atmosphere for this purpose, in a way that reinforces thc unity of our people and national forces, so as to accomplish our people's ultimate goal of  liberating the land and the people and establishing the Independent State of Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital.

Eight:

Reinforcing the role of the Palestinian woman in the national life

Based on the Declearation of  independence declaration document and the pioneering role of thc Palestinian woman in our social and national struggle, the PCC decides to work on reinforcing thc role of  Palestinian women in all fields of national work and to expand women participation in all decision-making departments.

Ninth:

Reinforcing the national building process

Thc PCC confirms that democracy and the principle of  the separation of powers is the choice of the Palestinian people to build their national authority and Independent State. Based on this, the PCC calls upon the Executive Committee and the National Authority to reinforce democratic life and political pluralism, to respect the independence of justice, to develop the judicial system, to strengthen the principle of accountability and transparency, to ensure the rule of law, to preserve public liberties for citizens and to conducting municipal and local elections in a way that reinforces  national responsibility and democratic life.

In conclusion, the PCC calls upon the great Arab nation and the brother Arab countries to continue supporting the Palestinian people's struggle to regain his legitimate national rights, especially the refugees' right of return, the right of self-determination for  our people and the right to establish the Independent Palestinian State with Jerusalem as its capital. It expresses its support to our Syrian and Lebanese brothers to ensure an Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon and the Golan Heights.

The PCC acknowledges the continuation of the suffering of Iraq as a result of the sanctions. The PCC greets the resistance of the great Iraqi people and demands to end the sanctions.

The PCC calls on the need to reinforce Arab solidarity and to coordinate the Arab efforts in order to regain our lands and rights. The PCC calls upon our Arab brothers to convene an Arab summit that will reinforce Arab solidarity and brotherhood. The PCC highly appreciates the Arab support to reinforce our people's resistance on our land and in holy Jerusalem. In this context, the PCC highly appreciates the kind efforts and the important role that Egyptian President Hussni Mubarak plays in order to achieve independence and freedom for our people.

The PCC also thanks the Jordanian King, government and people for their constant support and backing to the Palestinian people and to the peace process on the Palestinian track, considering the Palestine issue as the core of the Israeli-Arab conflict.

The PCC also thanks Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries for their constant  support to  our people. The PCC also thanks our brothers in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia for continuing to   support and back our people and our national authority.

The PCC highly appreciates the position of the Islamic countries, Non-Aligned countries, European countries, the Russian Federation, China, Japan, Canada, Latin America, and all friendly countries in the world who support and back our people whether on the economic or political level.

Likewise, the PCC appreciates US President Bill Clinton's position  confirming the US commitment to achieve the aims of the peace proces, which consist in implementing UN resolutions 242 and 338,  based on the principle of Land for Peace, and his support to the right of the Palestinian people to live free on his land, while considering settlement as a destructive factor for the peace process.  The PCC calls upon the United States to exercise their role as sponsors of the peace process more effectively in order to apply the resolutions of   international legitimacy  and the principle of land for peace.

The PCC greets the peace forces in Israel who work to achieve a just and genuinel peace based on equality, respect, and recognition  the Palestinian people's inalienable right to establish the independent Palestinian State and to reject occupation and  settlement policies.