Tenth anniversary of the attack on Jericho and the kidnapping of Sa'adat: Time does not erase the crime

Tenth anniversary of the attack on Jericho and the kidnapping of Sa'adat: Time does not erase the crime

On this day in 2006, ten years ago, heavily armed Zionist forces, stormed Jericho prison with tanks and various types of weaponry in a premeditated plan, with the full complicity of British and U.S. forces. They attacked the prison and kidnapped Ahmad Sa’adat, the General Secretary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and his comrades who carried out the assassination of Zionist official Rehavam Ze’evi in response to the assassination of PFLP General Secretary Abu Ali Mustafa, Ahed Abu Ghoulmeh, Majdi Rimawi, Hamdi Qur’an and Basil al-Asmar.

Ten years after this crime, the Campaign to Free Ahmad Sa’adat reaffirms once more that this crime, in addition to being one more chapter in the Zionist crimes against the Palestinian people and the targeting of Palestinian leaders, was also a treacherous action by the Palestinian Authority. The PA’s pursuit, entrapment and persecution of Ahmad Sa’adat and his comrades, its detention and imprisonment of them in Jericho prison under U.S. and British guard, all led up to the storming of the prison and the kidnapping of the comrades by the occupation forces. 

The leadership of the Authority and its security forces played a major role in this crime and yet continue the crime on a daily basis by continuing security coordination with the occupation forces. These security forces at an institutional level serve a functional role that has never been the defense of the Palestinian people or the protection of the resistance, but instead acting in the interests of the occupation and the service of its goals and plans.

The circumstances of the attack on Jericho prison are similar to the assassination of the martyred struggler, Omar Nayef Zayed, inside the Palestinian embassy in Bulgaria, and demonstrate the clear complicity of the Authority and demonstrate that it has done nothing to change its practices in the interests of the Palestinian people.

We affirm today that we have not forgotten this crime, and that its impact has not lessened by the passage of time, and are certain that the Palestinian people and their revolutionary courts will hold all those complicit with these crimes accountable.

Palestinians in Ramallah honor martyred Comrade Omar Nayef Zayed

Palestinians in Ramallah honor martyred Comrade Omar Nayef Zayed

Palestinians marched in the center of Ramallah condemning the killing of the struggler, Comrade Omar Nayef Zayed in the Palestinian embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria on March 3, demanding that the Palestinian Authority take serious action to investigate and hold accountable those responsible for his death. 

Protesters, including members and supporters of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, said that this crime must not go unnoticed, and that all involved should be held accountable for their actions or inaction that led to the killing of the martyr.

Palestinian legislator Hassan Khreisheh delivered a message at the event, emphasizing the need to protect Palestinian strugglers everywhere.

Despite imprisonment, resistance lives: Statement on the 14th anniversary of the abduction of Ahmad Sa'adat

Despite imprisonment, resistance lives: Statement on the 14th anniversary of the abduction of Ahmad Sa'adat

Today, January 15, 2016, marks the 14th anniversary of the abduction of Palestinian leader Ahmad Sa’adat by a treacherous act of the Palestinian security services against not only Ahmad Sa’adat, but against the Palestinian people, their resistance and their struggle. 

The Palestinian Authority’s intelligence service, supported by other security agencies, arrested Sa’adat along with his comrades, and detained them at the presidential headquarters of the PA. This act came in submission to the terms of the United States and the Zionist state, and in the framework of security coordination between the Palestinian Authority and the occupation – a framework that continues, despite the massive harm it has caused the Palestinian people for the past 23 years, to the present day.

This targeted attack on the leaders and cadres of the resistance paved the way for their imprisonment in Jericho prison in a notorious agreement with the occupation, under U.S. and British guards – and also paved the way for the March 14, 2006 attack on the prison and kidnapping of Sa’adat and his comrades by occupation soldiers.

The Palestinian Authority’s security apparatus is a burden upon the Palestinian people, rather than a force that provides them security against the relentless attacks and invasion of occupation soldiers and settlers. The Palestinian people have given and continue to give immense sacrifices in order to obtain their freedom, but are met time and again with authoritarian and repressive measures against their organizing, and continued security coordination with the occupation. The Palestinian Authority leadership is perhaps more than ever subservient to the demands of the occupation, while Palestinian institutions and embassies fail to serve or represent the Palestinian people, their cause and their concerns.

We reaffirm that the impact of this crime 14 years ago has not lessened, and that the Palestinian Authority and its security services must be accountable for the kidnapping of Sa’adat and his comrades, and all of the crimes of security coordination and repression against the Palestinian people, their resistance and their national leaders.

Today, we also note the urgent case of the Palestinian struggler and liberated prisoner Omar Nayef Zayed in Bulgaria. As we saw in the involvement of the U.S. and British security services in the imprisonment of Sa’adat, today, Zayed is facing extradition to the hands of the occupier by the Bulgarian state, where he has lived for the past 22 years, after escaping unjust imprisonment in occupation prisons.

Zayed has taken refuge inside the Palestinian embassy in Sofia. Today, as we remember this devastating crime against Sa’adat and against the Palestinian people, we demand that this crime not be repeated and that Zayed be fully protected by the Palestinian embassy and all Palestinian institutions. We also urge all supporters of the struggle of Palestinian prisoners and the Palestinian liberation struggle to demand that Omar Nayef Zayed is not turned over to the occupation state and that Bulgaria’s courts and police are not used as extensions of the Israeli occupation forces.

The rising Palestinian people have exposed more than ever the bankruptcy of the path of negotiations, coordination and submission to the occupation and to U.S. imperialism. At the same time, the rising of the Palestinian people also inspires true hope for revolutionary change and liberation. The compass of the Palestinian people has always remained pointed toward freedom, and they confront, with firm resolve and determination all attempts to diminish their resistance and their just cause. Without rest, despite repression, imprisonment and invasions, they resist, revolt and struggle to free all of the prisoners, all of the people and all of the land of Palestine.

Freedom for Ahmad Sa’adat and all Palestinian Prisoners!

Justice and Freedom for Omar Nayef Zayed!

January 15, 2016

Palestinian students at An-Najah University demand justice for Comrade Omar Nayef Zayed

Palestinian students at An-Najah University demand justice for Comrade Omar Nayef Zayed

The Progressive Student Labor Front at An-Najah University in Nablus organized a vigil on March 3 to salute the martyr Comrade Omar Nayef Zayed, who was assassinated in the Palestinian Authority embassy in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia. Numerous students, including representatives of various student parties and blocs gathered in the main square of An-Najah’s New Campus. 

The vigil began with the Palestinian national anthem and a moment of silence for the martyrs, and then speeches about the life of struggle of Comrade Nayef, his heroic operation and escape from Zionist jails, breaking free of the Zionist intelligence services and escaping to Bulgaria, where he was chased 25 years later by assassins. Speakers stated that the

Zionist entity bears direct responsibility for the killing of Comrade Nayef, along with the Bulgarian authorities and the Palestinian Authority, for not protecting the martyr. 

The demonstrators demanded the formation of a Palestinian internal investigation to hold accountable those who did not protect the comrade. The various student blocs at the University also spoke, expressing their condolences to the comrades, their respect for Comrade Omar Nayef Zayed and called for action and accountability to confront the occupier and reveal the truth to the masses about this case. The event concluded with a poem saluting Comrade Nayef.

Hamas: Abbas’ suspension of PFLP funds is ‘political blackmail’

Hamas: Abbas’ suspension of PFLP funds is ‘political blackmail’

Hamas has condemned Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s decision to suspend funds for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Safa news agency reported yesterday. In a statement, Hamas said this was “political blackmailing” for the left-wing Palestinian political parties.

On Sunday, member of PFLP Central Committee in Gaza, Zulfaqar Sweirjo, confirmed reports by PA officials and Palestinian media that Abass had frozen the party’s funds. He called it “an attempt to use the money to impose a certain agenda which is nationally rejected.” 

Sweirjo told Safa that the funds were frozen at the beginning of this year, but “we did not want to escalate the issue and put this into the media,” noting that Abbas “monopolises” Palestinian decisions.

Hamas’ said the “blackmailing policy” will not succeed to push the PFLP to concede its “principles”.

The statement called on Abbas to cancel the freeze “which reinforces internal Palestinian divisions.”

Abbas cuts PFLP allocations, Hamas condemns the decision

Abbas cuts PFLP allocations, Hamas condemns the decision

GAZA, (PIC)-- Zulfikar Shiverjo, a member of PFLP's central committee, revealed that the Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas had cut off its monthly allocations it receives from the Palestine Liberation Organization's (PLO) National Fund. 

Shiverjo revealed, in an exclusive statement to the PIC, that the PFLP knew about the decision in early April when Abbas ordered the chairman of the Palestinian National Fund Ramzi Khouri to freeze the PFLP allocations. He speculated that Abbas is attacking PFLP for its opposition to some of his policies including monopolizing decision-making. 

The PFLP leader Shiverjo said, “This method is refused by the PFLP. It was used in the past against the movement but in vein”, and affirmed that factions should not deal with each other in that manner which is a form of extortion. He pointed out that the decision has been actually applied since the beginning of the current year despite being made verbally.

The PFLP is considered as one of the biggest factions affiliated with the PLO. It was established in 1967.

For its part, Hamas Movement condemned Abbas on Monday, with its spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri saying, "Abbas uses money to extort political concessions and pass agendas that are rejected nationally." Abu Zuhri said Hamas appreciates PFLP's positions, and called on Abbas to retract the move.

Tensions rise between Fatah, Popular Front over financial cuts

Tensions rise between Fatah, Popular Front over financial cuts

Tensions between Fatah and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) have escalated over Mahmoud Abbas’ decision to cut financial payments from the Palestinian National Fund to the latter, the Anadolu Agency reported yesterday.

Members of the PFLP took to the streets in Gaza in protest against Abbas’ decision to cut funds, burning pictures of him during their protest. 

Fatah condemned the actions saying they were “outside the national context” and called on the PFLP to apologise.

Jamil Mizher, member of the PFLP’s political bureau, condemned any “defamation and degradation” to any Palestinian symbols.

“We condemn this individual act,” Mizher said, calling for Abbas to stop monopolising the Palestinian decision. “The PFLP will continue as it has been for ever,” he said, “and we will continue criticising any party which deviates from the national rules dedicated for assisting the country.”

Meanwhile, Fatah spokesman in the occupied West Bank Osama Al-Qawasmeh expressed his movement’s anger over the “escalated negative tone” of the PFLP.

The PFLP has repeatedly called for Abbas to work towards lifting the siege on the Gaza Strip and to stop collecting high taxes from the electricity company in Gaza which runs the sole energy plant in the enclave.