Palestinian Prisoners' Day commemoration in Beirut

The Palestinian weekly al-Hourriah has published a report of last week's Palestinian Prisoners Day celebrations in Shatila camp, Beirut, Lebanon.

Nayaf Hawatme, DFLP General Secretary, visits Cuba

One of the most veteran leaders of the Palestian liberation movement, DFLP General Secretary Nayaf Hawatme, has visited Cuba. At a programe commemorating the 40th anniversary of the founding of DFLP, held at the Cuban Institute for Friendship between Peoples (ICAP), Hawatme presented the Martyrs' Order posthumously to the the late ICAP president Sergio Corrieri and the Order of Jerusalem to the current ICAP president Kenia Serrano. Full report (in Spanish) at DFLP website.

In Havana, Hawatme has also met with the Vice President of the Republic of Cuba José Ramón Machado, the Vice Speaker of the Cuban parliament Jaime Crombet Hernández-Baquero, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Cuba Marcos Rodriguez Costa and representatives of the Arab community in Cuba. In his meetings, Hawatme has expressed his solidarity with Cuba and support for the process of socio-political changes occuring across Latin America.

Democratic Front outlines demands in negotations on Palestinian elections

The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, DFLP, has outlined three central demands regarding the subject of Palestinian in the ongoing Cairo unity talks. The DFLP representative in the Elections thematic committee, Ramzi Rabah, stated yesterday that DFLP has put forward the following positions:

*Elections must be held in 2010. Postponing the elections to 2011 would deepen division between West Bank and Gaza.
*Elections should be held using Proportional Representation.
*There should be an independent and impartial Central Elections Committee

Source: Maan News Agency. See also: DFLP: No progress at Cairo; Egypt: Talks have not failed, Article in Público on prisoner exchange negotiations

Democratic Front holds mass rally at Rafah border crossing, demanding a end to the siege

On Sunday, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) held a mass rally at the Rafah border crossing. The manifestation, which was organized as part of the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the founding of the DFLP, demanded that the siege on Gaza be lifted and that all Palestinian movements unite in national dialogue. In his speech Ziad Jargun, Central Committee member of DFLP and head of the party in Rafah, condemned the delays in the reconciliation process between Palestinian organizations in Cairo. Jargun also stressed the importance of the strengthening and re-activating the PLO. Moreover he reiterated the opposition of the DFLP to the Annapolis agreement.

40th anniversary celebrations have also been held in Palestinian refugee camps across Lebanon.

"خيار واحد أمام اليسار الفلسطيني"

وبصراحة يمكن ان نستذكر بفخر الأدوار الريادية في مجال الفكر والسياسة والواقعية بالنسبة للديمقراطية، وأيضاً للشعبية وحزب الشعب، لكن مسألة النهوض في هذه الظروف لا تتصل بالضبط بمثل ما كان فلقد تراجع الانتاج الفكري، وتراجعت فرص المبادرات الكبرى، وما عاد بوسع أي فصيل ان يحقق قفزة في دوره وحجمه ووزنه رغم ان ظروف الانقسام والصراع بين حركتي حماس وفتح تتيح مثل هذه الامكانية. فقط خيار واحد هو المتاح، وهو خيار الوحدة بين الفصائل الثلاثة التي شكلت ما يعرف اليوم بجبهة اليسار، والتي لم تثبت جدواها حتى الآن ما يعني ان خياراً واحداً مطروحاً وهو الاندماج الكامل، فالوحدة هي المفتاح السحري للفوز والتقدم والنهوض فهل ننتظر احتفالاً واحداً بعد عام، وتاريخاً يلخص ويجمع تواريخ؟

بقلم طلال عوكل. من صحيفة الحرية.

Four Palestinian political parties call upon Hamas to stop infringements of people's liberties in the Gaza strip

Four Palestinian political parties, namely the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Palestinian People's Party and the Islamic Jihad Movement, have issued a joint call appealing to Hamas to cease its "practices of abuse against the citizens" of the Gaza Strip. The appeal was issued at a joint meeting of the four political groups in the Gaza Strip. The four groups also formed a joint committee in order to "strengthen the steadfastness of our people and get rid of all the wrong and destructive practices damaging the national unity".

According the PFLP politburo member Dr. Rabah Muhanna, the conduct of the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip has a negative impact on the unity of the resistance of the Palestinian people in Gaza. The PFLP has noted that various Gaza residents have been shot in their legs or severely beaten in the recent past. The culprits are generally unknown, but accusations are often directed against Hamas and Fatah forces. The PFLP also highlights restrictions put by the Hamas movement on the work of human rights NGOs as well as politically motivated detentions in the Gaza Strip.

Separately, the jailed PFLP General Secretary Ahmad Sa'adat has stated that the failure to reconcile political differences between Palestinians will only benefit Israel.

Source: PFLP website, Maan News Agency, Svenska Amnesty on situationen i Gaza efter massakern, SvD

DFLP: The cease-fire is a result of the strength of the resistance

On January 18, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, issued the following statement:

Olmert's one-sided ceasefire, is due to the fierce resistance of all the factions of the resistance to the brutal Israeli aggression, and the fear generated by the entry of the third phase. It is the result of the legendary steadfastness of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and the enormous sacrifices, and all actions, popular and official, on the Arab, regional and international levels and the resulting pressure on the Israeli Occupation Government.

The Israeli move, made without an agreement with the Palestinian side, it will not survive if not accompanied by the full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and opening of all the border crossings.

This shows the critical importance of vigilance and unity of the Palestinian political leadership through the formation of a joint all-inclusive and united resistance front in order to thwart the objectives of the Israeli aggression. It is also necessary to stress the need for continued Arab and international pressure on the Israeli Occupation Government for a mutual cease-fire, withdrawal and the complete lifting of the embargo on our people in the Gaza Strip.

Source: Alhourriah, unofficial translation by Gaza; Peace n' Freedom. Newslinks: Barometern, Dagbladet, Dagen, DN, HD, KB, LV, Politiken, Público, SMP, SvD, Sydsvenskan, Telegraaf, Times, TA, VG, YA

Israeli Occupation Forces tries to kill National Resistance Brigades commander

On Monday night, at midnight January 12, Israeli Occupation Forces shot several missiles at the family residence of a commander of the Palestinian National Resistance Brigades (the armed wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine). A cowardly attack, putting the entire family at risk. The National Resistance Brigades has vowed to continue their struggle against the aggression on Gaza, for the liberation of Palestine.

Don't believe the media hype that the Gaza massacre is a campaign against 'Islamist terrorism'. The secular and progressive liberation movements are also Israeli targets. And like Hamas, the secular and progressive liberation movements are indeed present in the resistance struggle against Israeli occupation.

Source: DFLP website