ACTION ALERT

For Immediate Release
23 November 2004

Mahmoud Abbas and the Right of Return

According to news reports, recently-appointed PLO chairman and Palestinian Authority presidential candidate, Mr. Mahmoud Abbas reiterated his commitment to doing his utmost to ensure that Israel recognizes the Right of Return for Palestinian refugees. Al-Awda, the Palestine Right to Return Coalition takes this opportunity to reiterate its absolute and unflinching adherence to the rights of all Palestinian refugees to return to their original lands, towns and villages, to full restitution of all of their confiscated and destroyed property, and to compensation.

The Right of Return is the anchor of the Palestinian struggle and the principal pillar of the Palestinian national consensus. The Right of Return, along with the liberation from occupation of all Palestinian lands, including Jerusalem, represent fundamental inalienable rights and, as such, are redlines that should not be crossed.

Therefore, Al-Awda calls on Mr. Abbas to unequivocally declare his adherence to the full implementation of the right of all Palestinian refugees to return to their original towns and villages including those inside the so-called "Green Line". We also call on Abu Mazen to publicly repudiate the document he authored in 1995 with Yossie Beilin, and which outlined plans to solve the issue of refugees by resettling them in other countries contrary to international law.

Long Live Palestine, all of Palestine
Long Live the Palestinian People, all of the Palestinian People

Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition
PO Box 131352
Carlsbad, CA 92013, USA
Tel: 760-685-3243
Fax: 360-933-3568
E-mail: info@al-awda.org
WWW: http://al-awda.org