Yasser Arafat's political and militia faction Fateh called on Palestinians Tuesday to take steps to implement sovereignty in the occupied territories on November 15 to coincide with a symbolic declaration of independence made 12 years ago.
"The Fateh’s high council in the West Bank calls on the masses to implement national independence tomorrow (Wednesday) to commemorate the 12th anniversary of the 1988 proclamation of independence of the occupied lands," a Palestinian newspaper said, quoting a Fateh statement.
"Fateh calls on the people to prevent the occupation forces and the herds of settlers from entering (Palestinian areas) and to hold marches and to implement popular sovereignty on the land of Palestine," the daily Palestinian al-Hayat al-Jadida newspaper said.
West Bank Fateh chief Marwan Barghouthi on Sunday called on Palestinians to block Jewish settlers and Israeli soldiers from entering all of the Palestinian territories.
"Fateh calls on the people to raise Palestinian flags and pictures of martyrs on homes, businesses and public and private buildings," the newspaper said.
"The day will be a day of challenge between the will of the people and the will of the heavily-armed occupation," said the statement, which drew a parallel to the current six-week Intifada or uprising and the one from 1987-1993, during which Arafat made his symbolic declaration of independence while in Algeria in 1988.
A total of 219 people have been killed since violence broke out in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Israel in late September.
Of the dead, 182 have been Palestinians, 24 have been Israeli Jews and 13 have been Arabs with Israeli citizenship.
Israeli troops late Monday sealed off the main towns in the Palestinian territories following the killing of two Israeli soldiers and two civilians. JERUSALEM (AFP)
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