On October 9, 2023, Fatah’s Central Committee praised the Palestinian fighters involved in confronting "the occupation's crimes and aggression" and "attacking the enemy" in the West Bank, Gaza and elsewhere. In the statement, the Committee called on the Palestinian public to “answer the calls to confront” Israel and escalate the situation on the ground “in every conflict area and throughout the homeland” in order to aid the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The following are translated excerpts from the statement: [1]
"To the masses of our people, who are the custodians of truth:
"Honorable greetings of appreciation and pride as you accompany the procession of martyrs who performed their duty [of sacrificing their souls] on the path to freedom, which is now closer than ever. Thanks to your steadfastness, sacrifices, and commitment to your land, your Jerusalem, your prisoners, your resistance, and your rights, you shorten the life of this despicable occupation.
"We congratulate the forces of heroism that confront the occupation's crimes and aggression, attacking the enemy and not fleeing and defending the people in every village, refugee camp, and city in the Palestinian West Bank and the proud Gaza Strip…
"Oh our people in the arenas of conflict and steadfastness, and freedom-lovers throughout the world! Right now, at this very moment, our Palestinian people is waging an open conflict against this occupation, which has used its racist, bloodthirsty, and colonialist mentality, along with its ethnic cleansing and defilement of the holy sites… to lead the region to an explosion that we have been warning about for a long time…
"In light of the criminal war that has been declared against our people on all the geographical borders of our homeland, it is our obligation and the obligation of the Arab countries, our people, and the world:
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To rally in a real and conscious fashion around the possibility of national unity, [unity] in the struggle on the ground, political and diplomatic [unity], with all means possible to us, in order to wage this campaign in a united fashion.
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The public must answer calls to confront and stand up to the aggression and crimes in Gaza and the [West] Bank, and to escalate all the conflict zones with the occupier throughout our homeland Palestine, in order to defend our people and stand with our residents in the Gaza Strip…
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We must defend our people from any aggression or harm at the hands of the flocks of settlers who have been armed and instructed to carry our murder and arson operations against our people, our land, and our property.
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A more resolute Arab stance must be announced against the occupation and those who back and support it [in order to] end the occupation’s crimes, defend our people, and confront the world with its responsibility to defend the Palestinian people and implement the international decisions regarding the [Palestinian] cause.
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Recognition of the Palestinian people’s right to freedom, justice, the end of the occupation, and the implementation of self-determination is the key to security, peace, and stability in the region and the world. No one must think that the Palestinian cause and the rights of our people can be ignored.
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The international community, which is adopting a double standard and which is responsible for our nakba and backs and supports the occupation, must reassess its humanitarian stance and resume respecting the international decisions and the humanitarian laws regarding oppressed peoples, and primarily the Palestinian people.”
[1] Wafa.ps, October 9, 2023.
