By Munir K. Nasser
Washington, DC
A mass rally will be held in front of the White House on Saturday, September 16th to demand the implementation of the right of Palestinian refugees to return to the homes and lands from which they were expelled.
The rally is part of an international campaign by Palestinian refugees and their supporters on behalf of the right of return, with similar events scheduled to take place in Europe and the Middle East.
The rally’s organizers, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition, known by the Arabic name Al-Awda, is a broad-based grassroots coalition sponsored and endorsed by over sixty Arab, Muslim and American solidarity organizations as well as thousands of individuals.
The organizers say that thousands of Americans and Arab American supporters are expected to participate in the Washington march and mass rally from all parts of the United States. The rally will hear addresses by national and international speakers who will emphasize the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes, which is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International law, and in UN Resolution 194.
Speakers will include Palestinian Legislative Council member Abdul Jawad Saleh, human rights lawyer Allegra Pacheco, human rights activist Eyad Sarraj, media critic Ali Abunimah, President of the Trans-Arab Research Institute Naseer Aruri, President of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee Hala Maksoud, and Al-Awda rally co-Chair Zahi Damuni.
Also taking part is internationally renowned musician and composer Simon Shaheen. Invitations were also extended to Green Party Presidential candidate Ralph Nader, former UN Ambassador Andrew Young, Imam Hamza Yusuf, Rev. Lucius Walker, and Congressional Representatives.
The march and rally coincide with the deadline set by Israeli and Palestine authority negotiators for reaching a final status agreement, and also mark the date of the 1982 massacre of Palestinians at the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in Beirut.
Meanwhile, the pro-Israel “watchdog group” CAMERA labeled the Right to Return Rally as "extremist." According to a CAMERA press release issued in Washington the group is concerned because the rally is: "not calling for the relocation of millions of refugees to the future Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip; rather they demand the settlement of 5 million Palestinians within the pre-1967 borders of Israel."
Commenting on CAMERA’s remarks, executive director of American Muslims for Jerusalem Khalid Turaani said: "Apparently CAMERA feels that the basic human right guaranteeing refugees of any origin the right to return to their homes is extreme. That is a shame since the principle is enshrined both in international law and basic human morality."
President of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) Hala Maksoud said, “The Arab-American community, and all those who are committed to a single standard for the human rights of all people, strongly support and demand the implementation of the Palestinian Right of Return. 52 years of exile is long enough.”
In a related development, the American public expressed its support for Palestinians’ right to statehood in a politically active website, where users were asked to register their opinion on Palestinian statehood. Of those who logged on, 58 percent supported Palestinian statehood, while 41 percent opposed it. Those who voted yes also believe the United States should recognize a Palestinian declaration of statehood.
Participants in the survey were given a choice between the positions of the Arab American Institute supporting Palestinian statehood and that of Senators Diane Feinstein and Richard Lugar who introduced legislation opposing a declaration of Palestinian statehood and denying US aid to a Palestinian state.
According to Jim Zogby, President of the Arab American Institute, although cyber polls are not an accurate measure of public opinion, the results mirror previous polls conducted in July, which found that 66 percent of America’s likely voters support a Palestinian state while only 13 percent oppose it.
Zogby added that although the Palestinian Central Council has decided not to declare statehood at this time, there is clearly US public support for such a declaration.
“Our polling has demonstrated this time and time again that these results prove something… politically tuned-in cyber users agree as well,” he said –Albawaba.com
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
