Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative, says vigorous efforts are being made to reconcile Palestine’s political factions and hopes that a resolution will be announced shortly.
Dr. Barghouthi states that recent events in Jerusalem, preparations for a new aggression in Gaza, the escalation of settlements and the extreme positions held by Netanyahu’s government underline the urgent need for us to end division and establish a united political front. Netanyahu’s latest speech confirms the impossibility of negotiating with a government committed to war and aggression.
Dr. Barghouthi says enormous public pressure has helped ensure the Goldstone Report will be brought up again in the Human Rights Council in Geneva. The Report has helped galvanize calls to impose penalties and a boycott upon Israel drawing parallels with the UN resolution of Namibia which led to a campaign of sanctions against South Africa during the apartheid regime.
Dr. Barghouthi calls for the restoration of national unity so efforts can be focused on countering Israeli actions. We are part of a national liberation movement that must mobilize efforts to end the occupation, racial discrimination, and apartheid.
Dr. Barghouthi says a national strategy must successfully support popular resistance as well as national steadfastness and motivate the international solidarity movement to impose sanctions on Israel.
