Albawaba.com
Amman
Secretary general of the Palestinian Fatah movement in the West Bank Marwan Barghouthi said that the Palestinian peaceful uprising would continue and that Palestinians would pay a heavy price if they abandoned it.
Barghouthi told Albawaba.com in a phone interview, that the Israeli side is responsible for turning the peaceful uprising to violence, using tanks and rockets (against the Palestinian people).
His remarks followed the announcement of a deal between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to end bloodshed and clashes in the West Bank and Gaza.
He said that if Israel chose to “stop the aggression, it would be something good, but the Intifada and all its activities will continue because the Palestinian people can no longer tolerate the occupation,” adding that all agreements were neither implemented nor honored by the Israelis who have no genuine desire for peace.
“Palestinians are victims of violence,” he added, and it would help them a lot if the aggression stops because “we pay a price.”
Barghouthi said he didn’t believe that the PNA would try to stop peaceful and popular activities mainly in the West Bank because most of the population still live under Israeli occupation. The Intifada must continue, he stressed, adding that all groups must unite in the struggle.
In response to a question about the role of the Fateh Central Committee, Barghouthi said the Intifada was led by a higher committee and a field command, voicing hope that a Central Committee meeting should push for its continuation, “we will pay a heavy price if we give up the Intifada, it is a jewel in our hands, we must keep it and protect it, we should not return to the negotiating table to beg the Americans and the Israelis, this was something we tried to no avail and without any important results in recent years.”
The Palestinian official said the Intifada could face ups and downs but the important thing, he added, is to stick to it.
“At the same time, we’ve been calling on the PNA and its apparatuses to adapt themselves to the Intifada and to all that help it, either by acting politically or through administrative, financial or security procedures.”
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
