On the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the 1948 “Nakba” (“the catastrophe”, referring to the founding of the State of Israel), Yassir Arafat gave a 20 minute speech that was broadcast live on Palestinian television.
[Editor’s Note: The speech comes at a time when the policy of the American administration is to ignore Arafat and use the political prestige of the United States to create power in newly-appointed prime minister Mahmoud ‘Abbas — power that in actuality is held by Yassir Arafat. The language of the speech is boilerplate and offers no indication of any revision of policies by Arafat. Critics point to his rationalization for “Choosing the path for Peace” as being a pragmatic, strategic one, and not a rejection of terror.]
These are the main points of his speech:
“The Zionist Plot”
“The biggest Zionist plot started at the first Zionist congress in Basel, 1897. This was an imperialist plot against Arab land and the Palestinian homeland which culminated on that accursed day, May 15th 1948. On this day the State of Israel was established by means of armed force and an imperialist conspiracy. Since that day the Palestinian people have been subject to massacres which will not be forgotten.”
“The Palestinian Struggle”
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“Despite the division plan in 1947 the Palestinian people did not obtain their state. This is the reason the Palestinian people chose to maintain its objectives and to fight for its rights. Faris ‘Awda, the child who stopped a tank with a stone and was then killed by the tank-fire did exactly that. ‘Awda expressed the cries of all Palestinians: the apsiration for homeland, liberty and independence. He chose death for the sake of Allah, for the homeland, and for dignity.”
“Palestinian Prisoners”
“Thousands of Palestinians are in Israeli prisons because they refuse to give in to the occupation and they strive for independence. Their liberty is our freedom and the freedom of the homeland.”
“Refugees”
“Every Palestinian refugee strives to one day return to his land, and regain his identity and dignity as a man in his homeland.”
“Choosing the path of peace”
“This is a strategic choice on behalf of the Palestinian people. The peace treaty signed with the late partner Yitzhak Rabin expressed the choice of peace. Yet Israel’s use of force is impeding the implementation of a just and prevailing peace. There will be no peace without a total withdrawal of Israel from the Palestinian territories to the borders of June 4th 1967.”
“Settlements”
“The [Israeli] settlements are illegal and they rob the Palestinian people of their homeland, their security and their liberty and therefore they must stop.”
“Domestic Unity”
“In view of the occupation”, Arafat called on all the various Palestinian factions to consolidate. He called for “national solidarity and honoring the security mechanism,” stating that “this is the Palestinian people’s source of power against the ‘machine of war and destruction.’”
Arafat ended his speech with one of his famous slogans: “And together – to Jerusalem.”