We ask Abbas:
Are you for the Palestinian struggle or against it?
ONE DEMOCRACY launches an Open Letter to Mahmoud Abbas from Palestinian and International supporters of human rights, justice, peace and democracy
We are writing to offer you our full support to walk away from talks with Israel, and to urge you to abandon negotiations described by Dr. Richard Falk, UN human rights rapporteur, as “misleading and diversionary”.
Given the grossly unequal forces and the clear hostility to peace or justice on the Israeli side, we believe that the negotiations are intended to set the seal of legality on what Israel has taken by armed force.
Even the best available result would not bring unity, justice or security to the vast majority of the Palestinian people in Israel, in East Jerusalem, in Gaza and in the camps, and very little chance of a better daily life in the fragments of the West Bank.
Nor would any proposed agreement accord with, or take as its framework, international law and UN resolutions.
Five years ago, 170 organisations representing Palestinian civil society launched the Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions movement, generating worldwide action. The three aims of this movement cannot be met by such talks as these, because BDS has not yet reached the strength to bring Israel to the table as a genuine partner for peace: most notably, no internationally enforceable Sanctions are in place. It was such sanctions that finally helped to end apartheid in South Africa.
We urge you to do two things that would greatly strengthen and clarify the resistance and solidarity movement and start to change the balance of forces, so that one day we might see meaningful talks.
First, you can dismantle the “Bantustan” style Palestinian Authority and dispel the illusion that a sovereign Palestinian state can now be achieved.
This will help to make way for a united struggle against the military dictatorship of the occupied lands, demanding in its place full civil, legal, human and democratic rights throughout historic Palestine, and reminding Israel of its founding promise, of “complete equality of social and political rights for all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex” — One Person, One Vote.
Second, you can go on a legal and diplomatic offensive to reaffirm international law that has been ignored by Israel; and to win UN backing for Sanctions on the trade, weapons and finance that uphold Israel’s illegal acts.
We believe that millions of Palestinians would support you in these actions.
Add your name now at http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/askabbas
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