May Day in Palestine

This is a bit late, the blog haven't been updated the past week, but anyway here's a video (via ISM) of the massive May Day rally held in Gaza City.

The rally was organized by the Left Front (PFLP, DFLP, PPP)

Report at PPP website, May Day declaration of the Progressive Labour Bloc, report at PFLP website, May Day declaration of the United Labour Bloc.

Other International Workers Day meetings were held throughout Palestine. Below a video from the protests in Bil'in.

PPP leader Bassam as-Salhi and seven others injured in IOF attack on anti-Wall protest

Eight Palestinians were injured today, as Israeli Occupation Forces attacked an anti-Apartheid Wall protest in Idhna, occupied West Bank. The injured includes Palestinian People's Party general secretary Bassam as-Salhi.

Report (in Arabic) at PPP website.

PPP: Recognition of Israel not discussed in Cairo

"The issue of whether a new Palestinian government will recognize the state of Israel was not discussed at the Palestinian unity talks in Cairo, the Secretary-General of the Palestinian People's Party, Bassam As-Salhi said on Thursday night.

As-Salhi disputed reports that tensions in the meetings between the rival factions centered on whether Hamas would formally recognize Israel.

In a televised interview As-Salhi said that the discussions centered around "the government's program and its ability" to solve the current crises in the West Bank and Gaza.

He also said there was an agreement to accept a one and a half year truce with Israel according to understandings Hamas had previously negotiated with Israel. He said a truce would allow Palestinian political processes to take their course.

The Palestinian unity talks adjourned on Thursday without a final agreement. Palestinian leaders did say that they had agreed in principle to form a coalition government that will prepare for new elections in January 2010. They also planned to continue negotiations at a later date that was not specified."

Source: Maan News Agency

Update on Cairo talks

According to Walid Awad, who represents the Palestinian People's Party at the Cairo unity talks, the Steering Committee will continue discussions whilst the thematic working groups have concluded their work. The Steering Committee will try to resolve differences on the main stumbling points that remain. According to Awad, there are four issues around which discussion will continue:
-PLO: How to run the organization in the transitional phase until a new Palestinian National Council has been formed.
-Government: The programe and form of a unity government, and its relations to the Palestinian Legislative Council.
-Security: How to integrate the various security services into a single organization
-Elections: Different proposals on electoral systems are to be discussed. There will also be discussions on the transitional period preceding the elections.

Source: PPP website
News links: Telegraaf