Palestinian factions have reiterated their united stance against Israeli annexation of the occupied West Bank and withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
As they wrapped up a two-day meeting hosted by Egypt on Friday, the factions stressed the need for a “united national position,” rejecting all forms of annexation and displacement in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem at the current stage.
They described the Israeli parliament’s (Knesset) initial approval of annexation of the occupied West Bank as a “serious aggression against Palestinian identity and existence.” The meeting came amid international efforts to consolidate the Gaza ceasefire agreement reached earlier this month and to address the effects of Israel’s genocidal war. Several Palestinian factions attended the meeting, which discussed the latest developments in the Palestinian cause and the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s ceasefire, which was intended to prepare for a comprehensive national dialogue to restore national unity.
In a joint statement, the Palestinian factions called for the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, the complete lifting of the siege imposed on the territory, and the immediate start of a comprehensive process of reconstruction of the Strip. They expressed their support for a temporary committee of technocrats to run Gaza after the war, with the support of Arab states and international institutions, stressing that national unity is a “decisive” response to Israeli policies.
The statement also called for taking all necessary measures to preserve security and stability in Gaza and pointed to the importance of issuing a UN resolution regarding the deployment of a temporary international force to monitor the ceasefire. A Hamas movement spokesman has called for pressure on Israel to fulfill its obligations regarding the ceasefire agreement. Meanwhile, the factions urged the international community to pressure Israel to stop violating the rights of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
They agreed to unify the ideologies of all Palestinian forces and factions and prepare to activate the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which has been called the “sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people”, so that it includes all components and active forces of the Palestinian people.
The statement called for the outcome of the meeting to be a real starting point for genuine national unity to defend the right of the Palestinian people to life, dignity, freedom, and self-determination, and for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, while guaranteeing the right of return for refugees.
Israel has killed nearly 70,000 Palestinians since launching its genocidal war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, before a ceasefire agreement was reached in the strip earlier this month. The agreement marks the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan, with further phases to be negotiated at a later date.
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