Syria Hosts Forum on Palestinians΄ Right of Return ~ Sayyed: Resistance was found to return to your home

Source: Agencies, 23-11-2008
An Arab and international forum on the Palestinians' right of return opened in Damascus on Sunday with the participation of political and intellectual personalities from 54 Arab and foreign countries.
The two-day conference is aimed at establishing the Palestinian refugees' right of return as a firm Palestinian and Arab principle, refusing any bargaining or trade-off, and rejecting settlement and alternative homeland projects, the official SANA news agency reported.

It also aimed to suggest mechanism and practical programs for defending the right of return and rallying international support for it. A declaration on the right of return would be issued during the conference.

The forum's program includes lectures, 22 seminars with the participation of over 170 specialists, workshops, poetry evenings and art galleries showing the Palestinian refugees' conditions and underlining their right to return.

In his speech at the opening of the Forum, Assistant Regional Secretary of al-Baath Arab Socialist Party Mohammad Said Bkhaitan affirmed that supporting the cause of Palestinian refugees supports the noble ideas and principles that mankind fought for throughout the ages, without which the world would be ruled by the law of jungle.

He underlined the importance of the Forum, stressing that the Right of Return is non-negotiable and cannot be waived. Mr. Bkhaitan also underlined the significance of this year's forum as it coincides with the 60th anniversary of the occupation of Palestine and the World Day for Solidarity with Palestinian People.

Meshaal slams Arab States over 'Gaza tragedy'

The exiled political chief of the Palestinian Hamas movement slammed Arab and Islamic states for keeping silent over 'Israel's' blockade of the Gaza Strip. "What is happening in the Gaza Strip is a tragedy. Shame on those who stay silent on the criminal blockade that has been imposed on Gaza. Shame on Arab and Islamic regimes and on the international community," Khaled Meshaal addressed the meeting.

"Every Arab country could send a boat to Gaza" to break the blockade imposed since Hamas ousted forces loyal to Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas in June last year, Meshaal said. Boats from Cyprus carrying peace activists have been able to do so three times in the past three months.

On November 5 'Israel' tightened the Gaza blockade in response to rocket fire at its territory following a deadly raid into the impoverished and densely populated Palestinian territory.
In the speech, Meshaal said the return of Palestinian refugees to a homeland now under 'Israeli' occupation was "a natural right guaranteed under international law." "Anyone who compromises on the right of return is party to a great crime," he said.

"I call upon the Arabs not to be too hasty in proposing new initiatives" on peace with 'Israel', Meshaal said. "It is up to (US president-elect Barack) Obama to present something to the Arabs," he said.
According to the official SANA news agency, the two-day Damascus meeting is being attended by Arab and foreign personalities, clerics and representatives of political parties.

Sayyed: resistance was found to return to your home

Among the attendants was the head of Hizbullah's political council Sayyed Ibrahim Amin al-Sayyed. Al-Sayyed assured the Palestinian people that their right of return was written in the holy book with every blood drop everywhere until you'd return. He also stressed that right of return is a pledge and promise not only to the return to Palestine but also to the departure of the Zionists adding that the resistance's aim was born to "return to your home".

For his part, Director of the PLO Political Department Farouk al-Qaddumi pointed out that the return of Palestinian refugees to their homeland is the strategic goal that the regional conflict revolves around, and that the Arab-'Israel' conflict cannot be resolved without their return.

Al-Qaddumi denounced the suffering inflicted on the Palestinian people by the 'Israeli' occupation under full sight of governments claiming to represent the international community, affirming that the current US administration isn't serious and that its political initiatives have no credibility.