The Coalition for All Palestinians: We Can Do Better Together
Independent Palestine is a coalition composed of independents, business leaders, academics, writers, women’s groups, youth, labour movements, people with disabilities, and the Palestinian National Initiative. It is headed by Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, and draws upon widespread grassroots support.
The Coalition brings together a wide spectrum of Palestinian society on a unified platform, in a context characterized by profound externally-imposed physical fragmentation, and internal political divisions.
It provides a truly democratic and independent alternative for the large majority of silent and unrepresented Palestinian voters, who favour neither the autocracy and corruption of the governing Fatah party, nor the conservatism of Hamas.
The Coalition consistently gains third position in polls gauging levels of support for the various groups standing in Legislative elections, behind Fatah and Hamas, and is set to win an estimated 12 percent of votes. In addition, recent polls identified Dr. Barghouthi as most popular candidate for the position of Prime Minister.
Independent Palestine is neither a factional nor a partisan coalition, and remains free of any ties with other parties and political movements such as Fatah and Hamas. While the coalition is open to cooperation with other parties and lists, it will not permit its agenda to be co-opted, and will not compromise on its demands for far-reaching internal reforms, including:
- An end to corruption, nepotism and political patronage;
- The building of efficient, democratic, modern and transparent institutions;
- Ensuring good governance through the actual separation of powers between the executive, judiciary and legislative branches;
- Enforcing the rule of law;
- The complete overhaul of the numerous security forces towards the creation of a professional service that ensures greater security for ordinary Palestinians;
- Socio-economic programs and development policies that meet the real needs of the Palestinian people.
In terms of external demands, the Independent Palestine coalition seeks a just peace and an end to the occupation in all its manifestations, including:
- The dismantlement of the Apartheid Wall and all illegal settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem; and
- The release of all Palestinian political prisoners who continue to be held in Israeli jails.
To this end, the coalition calls for unified, popular, non-violent resistance against the Occupation, and for an international peace conference to be held in order to revive the process towards resolving the conflict.
Coalition Structure
Independent Palestine is structurally unique in that it is composed not only of a list of 41 candidates running at the national and district levels, but also of a ‘Coalition Council’ made up of 110 leading figures from all sectors of Palestinian society, to which candidates are directly responsible, and which in turn, provides candidates with comprehensive policy and programme support. The Coalition Council will act as a shadow cabinet should Independent Palestine remain in opposition.
The List
The list running for Legislative elections is composed of 41 candidates, 8 of whom are women, representing 15 districts throughout the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip. The first 9 candidates on the list include:
- Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi (Ramallah): Candidate in 2005 presidential elections, in which he came second with 20 percent of votes; co-founder of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society, and the Health, Development, Information and Policy Institute; member of the Palestinian delegation to the Madrid Peace Conference in 1991; member of the Steering Committee to the Multilateral Peace Negotiations from 1991-93; Elected to the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) in 1996 but obliged to relinquish his seat to a Christian candidate under the quota system; member of the Palestinian delegation to the International Court of Justice in The Hague in 2004; General Secretary of the Palestinian National Initiative, which he co-founded in 2002 together with Edward Said, Haider Abdel-Shafi, and Ibrahim Dakak.
- Ms. Rawia Al-Shawa (Gaza): Journalist and member of the PLC in Gaza since 1996, where she heads the Opposition Democratic Alliance Bloc. Ms. Al-Shawa has consistently refused to serve in any ministerial posts within the PLC in protest at corruption and mismanagement within the Palestinian Authority. She is one of the most outspoken public figures on the issues of women’s rights and Palestinian prisoners.
- Mr. Mohammad Hassouneh (Hebron): President of the Association of Metal and Engineering Industries; Vice-President of the Society of Palestinian Businessmen; former president of the Palestinian Economic Development Group; General Manager and founder of the Al-Sharq Electrode Factory, and the Palestinian Mineral Oil Company (Petro Pal).
- Mr. Mohammad Dahman (Gaza): One of the founders of the Independent Workers Committees in Gaza; spent more than 20 years in Israeli jails for his political activities; co-founder of the Addameer society for the care of prisoners and their families; President of the Executive Committee of the General Association of Palestinian Trade Unions until 1996; founder of Gaza branch of the Democracy and Workers’ Rights Centre.
- Dr. Allam Jarrar (Jenin): Medical doctor and co-founder of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society; Secretary of the Central Medical Rehabilitation Committee for more than 15 years; Vice-President of the Palestinian Council for Justice and Peace.
- Dr. Talal Al-Sharif (Gaza): Medical doctor; President of the Administrative Council of the Palestinian Centre for Sports and Health; Vice-President of the Palestinian Anti-Violence Centre; long-standing activist against violence, and in support of women’s and youth rights.
- Ms. Amal Khreishe (Tulkarem): One of the most outspoken and active members of the Palestinian women’s movement; co-founder and former Director of the Palestinian Working Women’s Society for Development; member of the Women’s Affairs Technical Committee; co-founder of the Jerusalem Centre for Women; member of the International Association for the Education of Arab Workers.
- Mr. Samer Anabtawi (Nablus): One of the leaders of the student movement at Birzeit University and arrested by Israeli authorities for his political activities; Coordinator of the Palestinian National Initiative office in Nablus.
- Mr. Ziad Amr (Hebron): Lost his eyesight due to exposure to tear gas whilst studying at Hebron University; co-founder and former director of the General Union of Disabled People; leader in the campaign to pass law on the rights of people with disabilities within the PLC.
For a full list of candidates running under Independent Palestine, please visit:
http://www.elections.ps/pdf/final_list_of_candidates_on_electoral_lists.pdf (English)
For a full profile on each of the candidates, please visit:
http://www.almubadara.org/new/mustakela/candidates.php (Arabic)
The Council
The Coalition Council is composed of 110 members, 24 of whom are women, and includes the 41 candidates. It is headed by Dr. Haider Abdel Shafi, a symbol of integrity and Palestinian patriotism.
For a full list of council members, please visit:
http://www.almubadara.org/new/edetails.php?id=222
For a comprehensive profile of Dr. Shafi, please visit:
http://www.geocities.com/lawrenceofcyberia/palbios/pa03000.html