Paul V. Rafferty: The Fifth Conference of Palestinians in Europe + ADDENDUM
Thousands of Palestinians, exiled in Europe, gathered in Rotterdam on Saturday to express solidarity in their claim to the Right of Return.
The conference opened with a pertinent verse from the Holy Qur’an:
“O you who believe! if an evil-doer comes to you with a report, look carefully into it, lest you harm a people in ignorance, then be sorry for what you have done.”
(Sura 49, verse 6)
For nearly 2,000 years, Jews all over the world, have expressed their longing for a Homeland, by the expression, “Next year in Jerusalem”. Then, at last, the modern Nation-State of Israel was born, in Palestine.
Of course, Jews could always visit Jerusalem (Al Quds in Arabic) and many even lived in Palestine – but it was not the same as having one’s own Homeland.
Sadly, the formation of the modern-day Israel as a Jewish Homeland brought with it the homelessness of the Palestinians, since most of their Homeland was taken from them.
One would think that the Jewish Peoples would understand – better than anyone else – the sense of longing that fills the hearts of Palestinians living abroad. Sadly, this is not the case for so many Israelis.
Saturday, in Rotterdam, at a very large, comfortable convention centre, “De Doelen”, in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, thousands of displaced Palestinians, from all over Europe, gathered to exhibit THEIR desire for “Next year in Jerusalem” and to demand their Right of Return, as “guaranteed” by U.N. General Assembly Resolution 194.
The fact that the Conference was held on the Fifth of May in The Netherlands was no coincidence. It brought home to most people the connection with the NAZI policy of extermination of the Jews and Gypsies and the Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine. Many speakers made the obvious comparison.
Among the speakers was Dutch former Prime Minister Dries Van Agt who spoke of the need for the European Union to end the boycott of the Palestinian Authority. "The European and Dutch boycott of Hamas is wrong and even stupid. We automatically pardon the occupier and sanction the occupied nation." When asked if he had any advice for Palestine, he said that they are “so disturbed, so overpowered, so oppressed, who am I to lecture the Palestinians ?”
Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh - who was denied entry to The Netherlands -addressed the conference via satellite on a large television screen and advised participants to remain strong in their demands for the Right of Return.
Dr. Bassim Naim, Palestinian Minister of Sports, addressed the conference by telephone, since he was forced back to Egypt when his plane arrived in Brussels.
A full report, including other speakers, is currently being prepared by the conference organisers and will soon be available on their websites, listed below. Please check this article for UPDATES.
Perhaps, the most significant speaker was Orthodox Archbishop Father Atta Allah Hanna who reminded everyone that Palestinian Muslims, Christians – and others – are united as a People, in their demand for their Right of Return.
One of the most beautiful aspects of the Conference was the participation of Palestinian women – with and without headscarves. Here, in The Netherlands, as in many parts of Europe, there is a growing tendency to discriminate against women who wear headscarves. At the conference, however, this was forgotten - along with the fear of prejudice. Everyone felt a sense of Freedom on “Freedom Day” – at least for the time all were together.
HOPEFULLY, one day, very soon, Palestinians and Israelis can stand peacefully together and FREELY proclaim, “TODAY IN JERUSALEM !”
Paul V. Rafferty
U.N. OBSERVER & International Report
Addendum
Sometimes, the heart overcomes the brain and causes us to forget what we wish we could. Nevertheless, we must remember the conditions which Palestinians living in the refugee camps must endure.
During the conference, a short film was shown which gave a miniscule impression of the hardships undergone by those who live there. Six decades of misery cannot be easily forgotten.
We hope, in future, to present an accurate picture of the tragedy of Palestinians lost in the refugee camps – until we all decide to end this injustice.
In the meantime, please see:
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) http://www.un.org/unrwa
The State of the World's Refugees 2006 - Chapter 5 Protracted refugee situations: Box 5.1 Palestinian refugees http://www.unhcr.org/publ/PUBL/4444d3c92f.html
PVR
The Conference Organisers
Al Awda http://www.alawda.eu
Palestijnse Platform voor Mensenrechten en Solidariteit (PPMS) http://www.ppmsholland.nl
The Palestinian Return Centre http://www.prc.org.uk
U.N. General Assembly Resolution 194
Israel, Palestine and the Occupied Territories:
The Right of Return of Palestinian Refugees
http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/issues/israel-palestine/returnindex.htm
U.N. general Assembly Resolution 194 (III). Palestine -- Progress Report of the United Nations Mediator
http://domino.un.org/unispal.nsf/9a798adbf322aff38525617b006d88d7/c758572b78d1cd0085256bcf0077e51a!OpenDocument
Don't Palestinian Arabs have a Right of Return based on UN General Assembly Resolution 194? http://www.palestinefacts.org/pf_independence_un_194.php
Affirmation of the Palestinian Right of Return
http://globalpolicy.igc.org/security/issues/israel-palestine/return/2001/0808dclr.htm
1947 UN Partition Plan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1947_UN_Partition_Plan
For additional information:
Al-Bushra http://www.al-bushra.org
The Electronic Intifada http://www.theheadlines.org
Gush Shalom http://gush-shalom.org
International Middle East Media Center http://www.imemc.org
International Solidarity Movement http://www.palsolidarity.org
Jewish Voice for Peace http://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org
The Palestine Chronicle http://www.palestinechronicle.com
PALESTINA KOMITEE ROTTERDAM http://rotterdamvoorpalestina.nl
Palestine Monitor http://www.palestinemonitor.org
Peace Now http://www.peacenow.org.il
Ramallah Online http://www.ramallahonline.com
Today in Palestine http://www.theheadlines.org
Women in Black http://www.womeninblack.net
Al-Zaytouna http://www.alzaytouna.net
Please also see:
Compendium of Muslim Texts http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA
New Release: The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine
http://www.prc.org.uk/data/aspx/d3/3443.aspx
Book Review: The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine
http://www.prc.org.uk/data/aspx/d6/3556.aspx
Yousef Alhelou: Dutch Government Refuses Prime Minister Haniyeh Entry to The Netherlands for Palestinians in Europe Conference
http://www.unobserver.com/index.php?pagina=layout4.php&id=3409&blz=1
Thousands of Palestinians, exiled in Europe, gathered in Rotterdam on Saturday to express solidarity in their claim to the Right of Return.
The conference opened with a pertinent verse from the Holy Qur’an:
“O you who believe! if an evil-doer comes to you with a report, look carefully into it, lest you harm a people in ignorance, then be sorry for what you have done.”
(Sura 49, verse 6)
For nearly 2,000 years, Jews all over the world, have expressed their longing for a Homeland, by the expression, “Next year in Jerusalem”. Then, at last, the modern Nation-State of Israel was born, in Palestine.
Of course, Jews could always visit Jerusalem (Al Quds in Arabic) and many even lived in Palestine – but it was not the same as having one’s own Homeland.
Sadly, the formation of the modern-day Israel as a Jewish Homeland brought with it the homelessness of the Palestinians, since most of their Homeland was taken from them.
One would think that the Jewish Peoples would understand – better than anyone else – the sense of longing that fills the hearts of Palestinians living abroad. Sadly, this is not the case for so many Israelis.
Saturday, in Rotterdam, at a very large, comfortable convention centre, “De Doelen”, in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, thousands of displaced Palestinians, from all over Europe, gathered to exhibit THEIR desire for “Next year in Jerusalem” and to demand their Right of Return, as “guaranteed” by U.N. General Assembly Resolution 194.
The fact that the Conference was held on the Fifth of May in The Netherlands was no coincidence. It brought home to most people the connection with the NAZI policy of extermination of the Jews and Gypsies and the Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine. Many speakers made the obvious comparison.
Among the speakers was Dutch former Prime Minister Dries Van Agt who spoke of the need for the European Union to end the boycott of the Palestinian Authority. "The European and Dutch boycott of Hamas is wrong and even stupid. We automatically pardon the occupier and sanction the occupied nation." When asked if he had any advice for Palestine, he said that they are “so disturbed, so overpowered, so oppressed, who am I to lecture the Palestinians ?”
Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh - who was denied entry to The Netherlands -addressed the conference via satellite on a large television screen and advised participants to remain strong in their demands for the Right of Return.
Dr. Bassim Naim, Palestinian Minister of Sports, addressed the conference by telephone, since he was forced back to Egypt when his plane arrived in Brussels.
A full report, including other speakers, is currently being prepared by the conference organisers and will soon be available on their websites, listed below. Please check this article for UPDATES.
Perhaps, the most significant speaker was Orthodox Archbishop Father Atta Allah Hanna who reminded everyone that Palestinian Muslims, Christians – and others – are united as a People, in their demand for their Right of Return.
One of the most beautiful aspects of the Conference was the participation of Palestinian women – with and without headscarves. Here, in The Netherlands, as in many parts of Europe, there is a growing tendency to discriminate against women who wear headscarves. At the conference, however, this was forgotten - along with the fear of prejudice. Everyone felt a sense of Freedom on “Freedom Day” – at least for the time all were together.
HOPEFULLY, one day, very soon, Palestinians and Israelis can stand peacefully together and FREELY proclaim, “TODAY IN JERUSALEM !”
Paul V. Rafferty
U.N. OBSERVER & International Report
Addendum
Sometimes, the heart overcomes the brain and causes us to forget what we wish we could. Nevertheless, we must remember the conditions which Palestinians living in the refugee camps must endure.
During the conference, a short film was shown which gave a miniscule impression of the hardships undergone by those who live there. Six decades of misery cannot be easily forgotten.
We hope, in future, to present an accurate picture of the tragedy of Palestinians lost in the refugee camps – until we all decide to end this injustice.
In the meantime, please see:
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) http://www.un.org/unrwa
The State of the World's Refugees 2006 - Chapter 5 Protracted refugee situations: Box 5.1 Palestinian refugees http://www.unhcr.org/publ/PUBL/4444d3c92f.html
PVR
The Conference Organisers
Al Awda http://www.alawda.eu
Palestijnse Platform voor Mensenrechten en Solidariteit (PPMS) http://www.ppmsholland.nl
The Palestinian Return Centre http://www.prc.org.uk
U.N. General Assembly Resolution 194
Israel, Palestine and the Occupied Territories:
The Right of Return of Palestinian Refugees
http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/issues/israel-palestine/returnindex.htm
U.N. general Assembly Resolution 194 (III). Palestine -- Progress Report of the United Nations Mediator
http://domino.un.org/unispal.nsf/9a798adbf322aff38525617b006d88d7/c758572b78d1cd0085256bcf0077e51a!OpenDocument
Don't Palestinian Arabs have a Right of Return based on UN General Assembly Resolution 194? http://www.palestinefacts.org/pf_independence_un_194.php
Affirmation of the Palestinian Right of Return
http://globalpolicy.igc.org/security/issues/israel-palestine/return/2001/0808dclr.htm
1947 UN Partition Plan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1947_UN_Partition_Plan
For additional information:
Al-Bushra http://www.al-bushra.org
The Electronic Intifada http://www.theheadlines.org
Gush Shalom http://gush-shalom.org
International Middle East Media Center http://www.imemc.org
International Solidarity Movement http://www.palsolidarity.org
Jewish Voice for Peace http://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org
The Palestine Chronicle http://www.palestinechronicle.com
PALESTINA KOMITEE ROTTERDAM http://rotterdamvoorpalestina.nl
Palestine Monitor http://www.palestinemonitor.org
Peace Now http://www.peacenow.org.il
Ramallah Online http://www.ramallahonline.com
Today in Palestine http://www.theheadlines.org
Women in Black http://www.womeninblack.net
Al-Zaytouna http://www.alzaytouna.net
Please also see:
Compendium of Muslim Texts http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA
New Release: The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine
http://www.prc.org.uk/data/aspx/d3/3443.aspx
Book Review: The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine
http://www.prc.org.uk/data/aspx/d6/3556.aspx
Yousef Alhelou: Dutch Government Refuses Prime Minister Haniyeh Entry to The Netherlands for Palestinians in Europe Conference
http://www.unobserver.com/index.php?pagina=layout4.php&id=3409&blz=1