Palestinian leader's speech: Excerpts

Yasser Arafat: "The flare will continue to burn"

The following are excerpts from Yasser Arafat's televised speech marking Al-Nakbah (Catastrophe) day.

Our steadfast Palestinian masses, O people of exceeding strength: On this day, we commemorate the catastrophe that befell our people on 15 May 1948, our entire people.

Our people have experienced 53 years of tribulation, pain and dispersal in and outside the homeland.

The attempt to falsify history by missiles, shells, planes and tanks will not succeed

Yasser Arafat

With their deep-rooted faith, our people remain committed to their principles in the face of the grand conspiracy with an unrelenting willpower. They will not bow their heads or give in.

The attempt to falsify history by missiles, shells, planes, and tanks will not succeed. This is so because we have right on our side and we defend a just cause that cannot be wiped out by tank shells, poisonous gases internationally prohibited weapons, or guided missiles.

'Deep slumber'

The hour of the awakening of the world conscience from its deep slumber has come. The hour of international legitimacy has come to tell the aggressors: Enough military escalation and enough killing and destruction of the Palestinian people, who will not be defeated.

Until when will the world continue to turn a deaf ear to Palestinian bloodshed at the hands of the Israeli occupiers and settlers? Are the Palestinian people not entitled to live free in their homeland, just like all other peoples in the world?

On this day, the day of Al-Nakbah [catastrophe], I reiterate that the path to peace is crystal clear

Yasser Arafat

International legitimacy, which the world had called on us to recognise and to abide by its resolutions, is being trampled every day in Palestine by the Israeli occupation army and its military escalation and the siege imposed on our cities, villages, and refugee camps.

On this day, the day of Al-Nakbah [catastrophe], I reiterate that the path to peace is crystal clear, represented by the full and comprehensive withdrawal of the Israeli occupation army and settlers from all Palestinian and Arab territories up to the 4 June, 1967 lines. It is also represented by the resolution of the refugee issue on the basis of Resolution 194 and all resolutions of international legitimacy.

'Blind military force'

The blind military force the Israeli occupation government is launching against our people in order to destroy them and wipe out their existence will never achieve peace and security and will not enforce capitulation on our people.

The flare will continue to burn and light up the difficult path before Palestinian generations, one generation after another, until the flag of Palestine is raised over holy Jerusalem.

There can be no peace or stability while the Palestinian refugees are displaced are outside their homeland, because their right is a sacred and legitimate one. It is the responsibility of the entire international community to ensure and guarantee this right to the Palestinian refugees.

It is time for justice and international legitimacy to champion right in Palestine, as they have championed it in other areas of the world.

Yasser Arafat

Let the Egyptian-Jordanian initiative, alongside the signed agreements, the Mitchell Committee's report, and the resolutions of international legitimacy, especially Resolutions 242 and 338, be the basis of our efforts for a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace and for putting the peace process back on track.

This is for the sake of the Palestinian and Israeli people and for the sake of the people of the Middle East region. It is time for justice and international legitimacy to champion right in Palestine, as they have championed it in other areas of the world.

Source: Palestinian Satellite Channel TV, Gaza, in Arabic 15 May 01

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