Left/Democratic Palestinian leader says Gaza should be first step

international | miscellaneous | opinion/analysis Wednesday August 17, 2005 15:28 by Peacenprogress

Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, the leader of the Palestinian National Initiative (Al Mubadara), a democratic secular organisation working for peaceful civil-resistance to the Israeli occupation and for the democratisation of Palestinian institutions, has called for the withdrawal of settlers from Gaza to be the first step in the creation of an independent state of Palestine in Gaza, West Bank and East Jerusalem and the settlement of all outstanding issues including the right to return. Dr. Barghouti was the main candidate of the left/secular/democratic forces in the Presidential elections of 2005 when he scored a creditable 20% against the current President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah.

See link to Barghouti's opinion piece on Gaza at:

http://www.palestinemonitor.org/nueva_web/updates_news/updates/gaza_first.htm