Istanbul - FiMED

The Palestinian Popular Conference affirmed that the Balfour Declaration, issued by the British government in 1917, does not grant legitimacy to the Israeli occupation and does not extinguish the national rights of the Palestinian people, renewing its commitment to the rights of return, self-determination, liberation and independence.

In a statement issued by the "Palestinian National Meeting in Istanbul" on Monday, on the 109th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, the conference said the declaration constituted a pivotal juncture in support of the Zionist project, and paved the way — through the British Mandate and its policies of immigration, settlement and displacement — to the Nakba of 1948, the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and the destruction of hundreds of villages and towns.

British responsibility and demands to correct the declaration's effects

The conference held Britain historically, politically and morally responsible for the injustices inflicted on the Palestinian people, demanding that its government acknowledge its responsibility for issuing the declaration and its repercussions, and take practical steps to correct its effects, foremost among them supporting the Palestinians' right to self-determination and working to end the occupation.

It also called on London to halt arms exports and forms of support that contribute, according to the statement, to the continuation of Israeli violations, and to back efforts for international accountability and prosecution.

It affirmed that the passage of 109 years since the declaration was issued has not ended its repercussions, amid the continuation of occupation, settlement, displacement and siege, stressing that national rights are not lost by prescription and that colonial decisions do not erase the Palestinians' connection to their land and identity.

Return, Jerusalem and rejection of displacement

The conference renewed its commitment to the Palestinian people's right to liberation and independence and to establishing their state with full sovereignty and Jerusalem as its capital, alongside the refugees' right to return to their homes and properties from which they were displaced, in accordance with UN Resolution 194.

It rejected projects of resettlement, displacement and the alternative homeland, calling for the protection of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), guaranteeing the continuation of its mandate and providing it with the necessary funding, in a way that preserves the rights of refugees and the cause of return.

Regarding Jerusalem, the statement stressed its rejection of policies of Judaization and settlement and of changing the city's geographical and demographic character, and of attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque and Islamic and Christian holy sites, calling on Arab and Islamic states and the international community to act to protect Jerusalem and support the steadfastness of its residents.

Halting the aggression and reconstructing Gaza

The conference demanded a halt to the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and Jerusalem, an end to the siege, the opening of crossings and ensuring the delivery of humanitarian and medical aid, alongside the reconstruction of Gaza in a way that ensures its residents remain on their land and rejects their displacement.

It also called for a halt to settlement, land confiscation, home demolitions and settler attacks, the release of Palestinian prisoners, and the holding of those responsible for crimes and violations accountable under international law.

The statement rejected forms of normalization that it said ignore Palestinian rights and provide cover for the continuation of the occupation, calling on Arab and Islamic states and countries around the world to exert pressure to end the occupation, halt settlement and support the rights of the Palestinian people.

Reforming the PLO and strengthening the representation of diaspora Palestinians

The conference stressed that national unity and political partnership are a necessity for protecting the Palestinian national project and confronting attempts to liquidate the cause, calling for a comprehensive national dialogue and the rebuilding of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the development of its institutions on democratic and representative foundations that ensure the participation of the various forces, factions and components of the Palestinian people at home and in the diaspora.

It affirmed the need to end exclusivity, marginalization and monopolization, and to work toward formulating an inclusive national strategy that strengthens the unity of the Palestinian position.

He also stressed the importance of the role of the Palestinian diaspora, foremost among them the refugees, in protecting national identity, preserving the right of return and supporting the national struggle, calling for enabling them to participate effectively in decision-making, developing their institutions, unions and popular leagues, and adopting democratic representation mechanisms that reflect their will.

The conference concluded its statement by affirming the continuation of the national, political, popular and legal struggle to end the occupation and achieve the Palestinian people's rights to return, liberation and independence, saluting the martyrs, and demanding freedom for the prisoners, healing for the wounded and return for the refugees.