Ramallah, 27-11-07: Reacting to the decision by the Palestinian Authority to ban all West Bank activities related to the Annapolis conference, Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi MP, Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative, declared that silencing Palestinian dissent in the West Bank will not restore national unity.
His comments came after Palestinian Authority security forces violently disrupted a peaceful protest called by Palestinian civil society organisations against the Annapolis meeting.
Dr. Barghouthi stated that the internal division of the Palestinian people is extremely damaging to the national cause and that it is the duty of all to overcome differences and achieve unity. He called for national reconciliation and for the Palestinian people to unite on the basis of democracy, human rights and international law in order to stand against the Israeli occupation and to achieve their national rights.