Report: Palestinian national conference to convene in Damascus on December 12 - 13
The preliminary committee for the Palestinian national council has approved the invitation for convening its conference in Damascus on December 12 and 13 among groups opposing Palestinian - Israeli peace accords.
All necessary organizational regulations were taken to hold the conference at that time.
The Syrian local daily Tishreen reported that the conference will highlight Palestinian national principles, foremost being: "asserting commitment to the national and historical rights of the Palestinian people; asserting rejection of the Oslo, Hebron, and Wye Plantation agreements and their appendixes; and asserting commitment to the Palestinian national charter and rejection of canceling or amending any of its items.
The conference also considers the meeting of the Gaza council as null and not representing the Palestinian people, viewing the council's decisions as non-obligatory because what is taking place is a forging for the will of "our Palestinian people." The conference will also call for moving toward rebuilding the PLO and its institutions on the grounds of the Palestinian national charter.
The preliminary committee initiated during the meeting of the 10 Palestinian groups and several Palestinian national figures formed branch preliminary committees in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria and inside the Palestinian homeland. The committees had completed their works. On the Lebanese arena, 30 representatives were nominated for the Palestinian camps in Lebanon. In Jordan, the branch preliminary committee held several meetings which were attended by Bahjat Abu Gharebeh, Subhi Ghousheh, Abdul Aziz Saqer and representatives of the ten Palestinian groups. Some 40 representatives were named for the Jordanian camps. The Preliminary branch committee in Syria also met and 30 representatives were nominated for the Palestinian camps in Syria. The PLO will be represented by 15 representatives.
The number of participants in the conference is expected to exceed 300 in light of the decision to be taken by the preliminary committee on Thursday under the chairmanship of Khaled al-Fahoum.
Replying to a question on the representative of the "Palestinian homeland" at the conference, a Palestinian official source told the Syrian Tishreen daily that Palestinian Militant Bassam al-Shaka' took part in the works of the preliminary committee in Damascus. The Palestinian source added that al-Shaka' is making necessary contacts with forces and figures in the West Bank and Gaza, adding the representatives from inside Palestine will take part in the conference.
He added, "If conditions would prevent such a participation, the conference will be attended by a delegation carrying their views to the conference" which will "represent all Palestinian people inside and outside Palestine, in consolidation of the unity and the common destiny of the Palestinian people."
The Palestinian national conference will be also attended by all previous and current members of the national council and the executive committee, who oppose Oslo, as well as 10 members representing every one of the ten groups. It will be also attended by representatives of Palestinian groups in the Gulf countries and in the exodus.
Among those who will attend the national conference are Ahmad Sidqi al-Dajani (Egypt), Professor Edward Said (USA), and Abu Maher al-Yamani, Shafiq al-Hout, Anees al-Sayegh and Rifaat al-Nimer from Lebanon. Tishreen also learned that the conference's preparatory committee is working on the political report which will be approved today in the meeting to be held by the committee.
Tishreen added that the committee will circulate messages to the Arab states, the Arab League and international organizations and institutions to explain the condition of the Palestinian question as a result of the Oslo agreement and its appendixes and to inform these sides about the steps that are being taken concerning the convening of the Palestinian national conference as an expression of the will of the majority of the Palestinian people.
The preliminary committee will also invite the Arab liberation forces and parties, foremost being the Lebanese, Jordanian and Egyptian parties.