Follow-ups - FiMED

Dr. Anas al-Hajj, member of the General Secretariat of the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad, announced the launch of a Palestinian grassroots campaign titled "My Voice, My Decision – No to Appointment," calling on Palestinians at home and in the diaspora to sign a petition demanding free, inclusive and direct elections to choose their representatives in the Palestinian National Council.

Speaking at an event to launch the campaign, al-Hajj said the initiative comes amid objection to what he described as attempts to substitute appointment for popular choice in forming the National Council, stressing that the Council "derives its legitimacy from the will of the Palestinian people at home and abroad."

The document presented by al-Hajj stipulates the rejection of "having someone appointed to speak on my behalf," and the demand for free and inclusive elections that guarantee every Palestinian the right to choose their representatives.

According to its official website, the campaign calls for general, free, direct and democratic elections that allow the broadest possible participation of Palestinians at home and in the diaspora, while ensuring the participation of refugees and Palestinian communities in choosing their representatives, and establishing transparent mechanisms in cases where direct voting is not possible.

Six demands of the campaign

Al-Hajj explained that the "My Voice, My Decision" campaign operates according to six main goals, including:

- Holding inclusive, free and direct elections.

- Guaranteeing Palestinians' right to choose their representatives.

- Representing Palestinians abroad in the National Council.

- Transparency in representation and selection mechanisms.

- Inclusive representation of the various Palestinian communities, forces and groups.

- Strengthening accountability and institutional transparency.

The campaign says direct election must be the norm, and that if voting is not possible in some diaspora areas, this should not become a justification for adopting appointment or limited-participation mechanisms instead of popular choice.

An extension of the "Return Is My Right and My Decision" campaign

Al-Hajj noted that "My Voice, My Decision" is an extension of the "Return Is My Right and My Decision" campaign, which has become an umbrella for grassroots initiatives related to Palestinian rights and causes.

According to the campaign's official website, the number of signatures for "Return Is My Right and My Decision" has exceeded one million, with the figure currently published standing at about 1.02 million signatures.

"My Voice, My Decision" affirms that it operates under the umbrella of the previous campaign, launched by the Palestinian Return Centre in 2020, which later expanded to include initiatives related to Palestinian rights and their political and national future.

An initial target: 100,000 signatures

During his speech, al-Hajj called on those present to sign the electronic document immediately, and urged them to circulate it through social media groups and digital platforms.

He announced that the campaign's first goal is to collect 100,000 signatures before the end of November 2026, noting that the initiative has about 35 days to achieve this target.

The official campaign website allows people from all locations to register and sign, entering their country of residence and country of origin, then confirming the signature via email to receive a copy of the petition and share it.

Growing controversy over the formation of the National Council

The campaign comes amid growing Palestinian debate over the mechanisms for forming the Palestinian National Council and the representation of Palestinians abroad, at a time when procedures related to the 2026 electoral milestone have begun.

In recent weeks, Palestinian bodies abroad had announced their objection to the appointment mechanisms and electoral colleges, demanding that the Council be rebuilt on an electoral basis that ensures broader Palestinian participation.

The «My Voice, My Decision – No to Appointment» campaign was also officially launched in September, calling for free, direct, inclusive and transparent elections, and rejecting the substitution of appointment or selection mechanisms with limited participation for the popular ballot.

This comes in parallel with the ongoing Palestinian discussion regarding the mechanisms for forming the National Council, and how to combine the right of Palestinians at home and in the diaspora to choose their representatives with the different political and geographical circumstances in which they live.

The campaign's message

Al-Hajj concluded his speech by stressing that the aim of the campaign goes beyond collecting signatures, to building Palestinian popular pressure to demand national representation based on popular choice.

According to its official document, the campaign places itself behind a clear slogan: «My voice is my decision, and no one represents me without my choice», in an attempt to turn the objection to the mechanisms for forming the National Council into an organized popular movement demanding that election and Palestinian participation at home and in the diaspora be restored.