UN Latin American and Caribbean Seminar and NGO Symposium on the Question of Palestine (Chile, 26-29 May 1998) – Report – DPR publication

UNITED NATIONS LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN

SEMINAR AND NGO SYMPOSIUM

ON THE QUESTION OF PALESTINE

Santiago, Chile 26 – 29 May 1998

I. INTRODUCTION

1. The United Nations Latin American and Caribbean Seminar and NGO Symposium on the Question of Palestine on the theme "Achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting solution of the question of Palestine – the role of Latin America and the Caribbean" was held at Santiago from 26 to 29 May 1998, under the auspices of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and in accordance with the provisions of General Assembly resolutions 52/49 and 52/50 of 9 December 1997.

2.  The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People was represented by a delegation comprising Ibra Deguéne Ka (Senegal), Chairman of the Committee, who acted as Chairman of the Seminar and NGO Symposium; Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla (Cuba), Vice-Chairman of the Committee, who acted as Vice-Chairman of the meeting; George Saliba, Rapporteur of the Committee and Rapporteur of the Seminar and NGO Symposium, Sotirios Zackheos (Cyprus), who also acted as Vice-Chairman; and Nasser M. Al-Kidwa (Palestine).

3. The Seminar and NGO Symposium met in three panels on the following topics: panel I provided briefings on the current political situation; panel II provided briefings on the current situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem; and panel III discussed the role of Latin America and the Caribbean in promoting a comprehensive, just and lasting solution of the question of Palestine through solidarity and assistance. A workshop for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) was also held on the following topic: Mobilization and networking of Latin American and Caribbean NGOs in support of a just and comprehensive solution of the question of Palestine. Participating NGOs adopted a plan of action (annex II).

4. Presentations were made by 22 experts from Latin America, the Caribbean and other regions. Each panel was followed by a discussion open to all participants. Representatives of 33 Governments, Palestine, 2 United Nations bodies and agencies, 35 NGOs (10 of them as observers), 2 NGO coordinating committees, a number of special guests of the host country and representatives of the media, universities and institutes were in attendance.

5. The main points of the discussion were highlighted in the final document of the Seminar and NGO Symposium (annex I). The participating NGOs elected a Coordinator and a Vice-Coordinator of the Latin American and Caribbean NGOs on the Question of Palestine and appointed an open-ended Coordinating Committee for NGOs on the Question of Palestine (annex III).

II. OPENING SESSION

6. The opening ceremony of the United Nations Latin American and Caribbean Seminar and NGO Symposium was addressed by Mr. Juan Martabit Scaff, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Chile. He emphasized that Chile recognized the legitimacy of the cause of the Palestinian people and supported its efforts to achieve its inalienable rights. That policy had been consistently and coherently upheld by Chilean Governments for the past 50 years. He recalled that his country was the home of one of the largest communities of persons of Palestinian descent living in the diaspora. Around the turn of the century, Palestinian families had begun to settle in Chile and since then had contributed significantly to the political, economic and cultural development of the country. Chile had been the first Latin American country to open a diplomatic mission to the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah.

7. He went on to say that the signing of the Declaration of Principles between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) had opened a new and promising stage in the Arab-Israeli conflict. The Declaration had as its basis the mutual recognition of the legitimacy of the political rights of both parties and aimed at the implementation of Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973), leading to a genuine reconciliation between the Palestinian and Jewish peoples on the basis of equality and mutual respect. The events of late 1995/1996, however, had seriously undermined the mutual confidence and prepared the ground for a resurgence of hostilities. He pointed out that prospects for peace in the Middle East depended on the adoption of just and acceptable solutions on the Palestinian question and expressed disappointment at the current deadlock of the bilateral negotiations and the lack of significant results. Chile was deeply concerned by the continuing deterioration of the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied territories and by the persistence of inflexible attitudes in the context of an apparent absence of real prospects for genuine peace in the short term.

8. A message from Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations, was read by his representative, Josh Antonio Ocampo, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. In his message, the Secretary-General recalled that the United Nations, almost since its inception, had been closely involved in international efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict in the Middle East and to provide assistance to its victims. Regional meetings had played a useful role in bringing fundamental aspects of the problem to the attention of Governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations. They provided a forum for debate among Palestinians and Israelis, their respective diaspora communities and others, and had helped to promote mutual understanding and to stimulate international assistance to the Palestinian people. Regional symposia had also contributed to the establishment of an active international network of NGOs concerned with the question of Palestine. He commended the NGOs for their support of the United Nations through assistance projects, humanitarian relief and information campaigns.

9. The Secretary-General went on to say in the message that, since 1993, the United Nations had sought to contribute to the peace process by helping to establish a solid foundation for peace in the occupied territories with a focus on developing infrastructure, enhancing institutional capacity and improving economic and social conditions. However, the troubling economic situation and the stalemate in the negotiations undermined confidence in the future. Recalling his recent visit to the region, he said that he had appealed to the parties to make every effort to move the peace process forward without delay, to acknowledge the gains of that process so far and to take the difficult decisions needed to move towards reconciliation and mutual confidence.

10. Ibra Deguéne Ka, Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, said that the great hopes engendered by the Declaration of Principles had given way to anxiety and even despair and warned that a further deterioration of the political and economic situation on the ground could only create instability and provide fertile ground for those working against reconciliation and compromise. He recalled that the Madrid peace process and the Oslo accords had led to a breakthrough because they had incorporated the "land-for-peace" formula of Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) and had provided an avenue for the attainment of Palestinian rights, in particular the right to self-determination.

11. He said that the current Government of Israel, in its refusal to abide by the will of the international community, had become blind to reason and to the opportunities presented by the historic breakthrough since 1993. Its efforts to consolidate the occupation and to annex large areas of the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, were directed towards imposing an unjust and totally unacceptable settlement. Those actions threatened to plunge the whole region into renewed violence, with unforeseeable consequences. Pointing to the achievements of the peace process, such as the withdrawal of Israeli forces from parts of the occupied territory, the return of the Palestinian leadership from exile, the Palestinian elections and the establishment of a functioning administration, he said that those developments had the recognition and support of the entire international community. He called upon participants to redouble their efforts to help the Palestinian people to exercise fully and freely its right to self-determination and independence, in accordance with international principles and United Nations resolutions. In conclusion, he referred to recent initiatives by the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, including its support for efforts to promote action by the States parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention and its support for the "Bethlehem 2000" initiative.

12. Fathi Arafat, Member of the Palestine National Council, President of the Palestine Red Crescent Society and representative of Palestine, expressed appreciation for the improved relations between Chile and the Palestinian people and for United Nations efforts in support of the Palestinian cause. He said that the current Israeli Government was doing everything to stop the advancement of the peace process. However, the Palestinian leadership had taken a strategic decision for peace and was waging a struggle for the continuation of the peace process. In addition, the Palestinian Authority was struggling in the small pieces of land given to it to solve the problems left by the occupation, in particular by building an infrastructure. He expressed the hope that the international support will help the Palestinian people to live through the current difficult phase of the peace process.

13. Jose Felix Ferreyra, Chairman of the Latin American and Caribbean Coordinating Committee for NGOs on the Question of Palestine, pointed out that the aim of keeping the question of Palestine high on the political agenda of the continent required the collective effort of all NGOs in the region. There were 115 NGOs in Latin America and the Caribbean, driven by the common desire to modify public opinion in support of the Palestinian people. Due to political developments, most of the organizations, however, suffered from a loss of members and financial constraints. He noted that the composition of the NGO constituencies in Latin America and the Caribbean varied from region to region: in the south most of the NGOs were of Palestinian descent, while in the Central American region, including the Caribbean and Mexico, NGOs were mostly represented in the networks of universities and newspapers. He announced that a regional NGO meeting on the question of Palestine would take place in the city of Maracaibo, Venezuela, in October 1998, which would give new impetus for NGO action in the region. In conclusion, he stressed the importance of close cooperation of the NGOs with the representatives of Palestine in the countries of the region.

14. Jose Elias A., representative of the Confederation of Palestinian Communities in Latin America and the Caribbean (COPLAC) and President of the Palestinian Federation of Chile (FEPAL), stated that while Israel celebrated 50 years of existence, Palestinians commemorated the al-nakba, the catastrophe. He stressed the importance of informing the Latin American and Caribbean public opinion that in the occupied Palestinian territory the human rights of millions of men and women were abused; that they were prevented from going to work, had no rights to water sources and that their economy was controlled by the occupier. Support for the Palestinian people should be not only moral, but also directed towards effective action that would allow the Palestinians to exercise their legitimate rights and to achieve the necessary economic recovery which is one of the conditions for democracy. The international community, including NGOs, should insist on the implementation of the agreements signed by Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization.

15. Statements were also made by the representatives of some Governments. The representative of the Syrian Arab Republic emphasized the need for Israel to fulfil all United Nations resolutions. The representative of Brazil referred to a similar seminar and non-governmental organizations symposium held in Rio de Janeiro in 1995, and said that there were many possibilities for the countries and peoples of Latin America to expand economic, trade, technical and cultural links with the Palestinian Authority. The speaker of Ukraine stressed that the question of Palestine remained the key for a comprehensive peace in the Middle East and expressed his country's interest in participating directly in a solution of the question through economic cooperation or the provision of personnel for peacekeeping missions.

III. PANEL PRESENTATIONS

Panel I

Briefings on the current political situation

16. Speakers in the panel examined the current status of the peace process and international efforts in that regard, including the role of the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention.

17. Ahmed Soboh, Director-General for International Organizations, Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, Palestinian Authority, stated that the central idea of the peace accords signed in 1993 was to start a historical reconciliation based on the mutual recognition between the two sides and on building trust during a specific period. The election of Mr. Netanyahu, however, meant a victory for those who were against the peace process and wanted to impose an ideological and religious solution. The new Prime Minister wanted to change the basic understanding of the process. When he came to power, Israel had already obtained considerable advantage from the peace process, having re-established diplomatic relations with 68 countries and having attained solid annual economic growth. Palestinians, to the contrary, had a difficult start; the infrastructure of their territory had been destroyed during the years of occupation; since 1993, the gross national product had decreased and unemployment had risen.

18. The speaker criticized the United States Administration for its role as a co-sponsor of the peace process as it was organizing meetings between the parties for their own sake, which resulted in the further watering down of the agreements that had been reached. The peace process was about sharing the whole land of Palestine and not just the West Bank. He called upon the United States to exert pressure on Israel to fulfil its commitments, a strategy which had proved effective in the past. He said that compliance with the signed agreements was the first precondition for the continuation of the process, which should lead to an independent Palestinian State with Jerusalem as its capital. He emphasized the need to revitalize the role of the United Nations, whose resolutions represent the framework of a just and comprehensive solution. He called upon the European countries to play a more political role in supporting the peace process. Also the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean could contribute considerably to the international efforts. He invited them to support a meeting of the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention and to join in the support of the "Bethlehem 2000" project.

19. Dedi Zucker, Member of the Knesset, listed some positive and negative developments since the signing of the Oslo accords in 1993. The positive consequences included the fact that Palestinians and Israelis were living in mutual recognition, that they accepted each other's right to exist. The process had led, in Gaza and Ramallah, to a nucleus of a Palestinian State, and it demonstrated a viable alternative to war and occupation in the minds of many people. He deplored, however, that the process had since lost its momentum and that the relations between the Palestinian and the Israeli leadership had deteriorated on all levels. Trust was gradually dying between the parties. Hard-liners on both sides, like Hamas and the Israeli extremists, were profiting from that situation. He said the role of the United States Administration, in not exerting pressure on Israel, remained very traditional, which led to very technical steps that were not meaningful. It would be a mistake to put trust in the role of the United States. History had shown that all agreements were initiated by Arabs and Israelis, the United States had joined in only later and sometimes played a helpful role.

20. In his analysis, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was guided in his decisions by internal considerations. That might lead to the second withdrawal of Israeli troops from parts of the occupied territory. At the same time, an agreement with the Syrian Arab Republic seemed to be higher on his agenda than a settlement of the final issues with the Palestinians. On a more optimistic note, he recalled that the majority of the Israeli voters, including supporters of the governing coalition, were in favor of the Oslo process.

21. Richard Curtiss, executive editor of the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, recalled the history of the United States relations with Israel. He said that whenever the United States Administration decided to exert pressure on the Israeli Government, that pressure was successful. He cited as an example Israel's participation in the Madrid peace conference in October 1991, which had taken place under United States pressure to withhold loan guarantees. In his view, under the current United States Administration, the pressure on the Israeli Government was lifted and its policy of expansion of settlements and expropriation of land in East Jerusalem was even backed through the use of vetoes in the Security Council. In his view, the coming into power of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu marked the end of the peace process. He predicted that the policies of the United States Administration, would not change in the near future.

22. Juan Abugattas, Professor of Philosophy at the University of San Marcos and the University of Lima, Peru, said that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was one of the last remnants of the cold war and the peace process was an inevitable consequence of its end. In the current political situation, the Palestinian Authority was confronted with the stagnation of the peace process and internal disputes on the peace process and the future of the Palestinian people. Palestinian factionalism was adding to the complexity of the conflict and could jeopardize the prospects of establishing a democratic Palestinian state. Daily quarrels prevented the parties from working on viable long-term solutions. Noting the increasing polarization within the Israeli population, he said that Israel was also in need of a vision regarding the type of State they wanted to have in the future. He stated that the current Israeli Government had no sustainable proposals for a solution of the conflict in the long run. A permanent solution based on their military superiority was an illusion. In the globalized world of today, it was not possible to act in a permanent way against the international consensus. He said that the United States would also have to redefine its Middle East policy. No Long-term concepts were perceptible, in particular after the cold war.

Panel II

Briefings on the current situation in the occupied Palestinian territory,including Jerusalem

23. Panel participants considered the following sub-topics: Israeli settlements, the status of Jerusalem, refugees, the social and economic situation and the "Bethlehem 2000" project.

24. Ghassan Andoni, Lecturer of Physics at Birzeit University, President of Rapprochement-Center for Dialogue and Understanding, focused on the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory and demonstrated with several maps its systematic and aggressive nature. He said that, already in 1948, the establishment of the State of Israel had been based on the displacement of the indigenous Palestinian population and the colonization of their homeland. Between 1948 and 1967, the colonization policy was directed towards imposing the military governing system, the expropriation of most of the Palestinian land, the isolation of each locality and the intensive establishment of Jewish colonies, with the aim of reaching a 78 per cent Jewish majority in each region. He noted striking similarities between that period and the current Israeli policies in the West Bank and Gaza. After the 1967 war, the policy of transfer and expansion continued aiming to prevent any future geographic separation, to increase the Jewish existence in the West Bank and Gaza, to gradually isolate the Palestinian regions from each other and to transform the military occupation into a permanent ruling system. He said that the demographic problem caused by the high birth rate among Palestinians, represented, however, a serious challenge to the plans for a "Greater Israel."

25. He expressed the view that the Oslo agreements introduced a solution to the proponents of a "Greater Israel" by confining the vast majority of the Palestinian population to less than 3 per cent of the area of the West Bank. The expansionist colonial policy in the aftermath of Oslo, triggered by the Labour Government and intensified by the Likud, was characterized by large-scale land expropriations, the establishment of a huge network of by-pass roads, the isolation and closure of Palestinian self-controlled areas and a large-scale increase in the Jewish population of the Israeli colonies. He concluded that the long-standing expansionist colonial policy of the Israeli Government was continuing under the umbrella of the peace talks and that the continuation of the peace process parallel to it would constitute a considerable threat, not only to Palestinian rights, but to the chances of ever establishing real peace in the Middle East. The continuation of the peace process had to be conditioned by a freeze of all the settlement activities accompanied by active popular resistance against the implementation of the respective plans.

26. Sarah Kaminker, planning consultant in Jerusalem, pointed out that the major goals of the Israeli Government with regard to Jerusalem were to enable and encourage Jews to live in every part of the city, and to maintain a demographic balance of 72 per cent Jews and 28 per cent Arabs in the city as a whole. That policy had been implemented over the past thirty years consistently, systematically and imaginatively, resulting in a majority Jewish population in East Jerusalem. Whereas the policy was determined by the national Government, its application was masterminded by the municipality, which relied on public relation techniques, such as public events, slogans and the wooing of influential constituencies. She recalled that after the 1967 war, the Israeli Government had redrawn the municipal boundaries of Jerusalem and had started expropriating land in East Jerusalem, Since then, individual Arab neighborhoods had lost between 35 per cent and 70 per cent of their land through expropriation, residential confinement and freezing.

27. She then described the systematic discrimination against the Arab population through the withholding of licences and building permits. The municipality would keep building rights and height regulations at the lowest possible level; an expanded road system was intended to consume vacant land otherwise available for housing construction; none of the roads would connect Arab neighborhoods, but lead only to the next Jewish neighborhood; no land had been designated for commercial or industrial development, thereby further increasing Palestinian dependency on Jewish Jerusalem. She particularly criticized the development plans for Jabal Abu Ghneim, which was intended to serve as a wedge separating the Arab neighborhoods of Jerusalem from their hinterland in the West Bank. In her view, a just solution of the problems would be only possible in a Jerusalem with shared sovereignty, where Palestinians and Israelis would work together through a joint political process.

28. Marzouq Bishara Hanna Marzouqa, Member of the Municipal Council of Bethlehem, stated that the situation on the ground was very critical and that it had worsened during the previous two years, with the Israeli Government not honouring its obligations under the Declaration of Principles and delaying further redeployment from the occupied territory. Palestinian land was divided into isolated areas, the expansion of Israeli settlements and the construction of by-pass roads was accelerating, the movement of people and goods between Palestinian cities and communities was severely restricted and Jerusalem was facing serious attempts to change its demographics historical and religious character. He pointed out that the Palestinian economy had suffered heavy losses resulting from the closures and general restrictions of movement. Bethlehem was subject to a month-long blockade, which had prevented pilgrims and tourists from visiting its religious and touristic sites.

29. He then described the "Bethlehem 2000" project, launched by the Palestinian Authority and the municipality of Bethlehem. Its goal was to renovate the town and its district, including the infrastructure, cultural heritage, tourism and economic development. The project would improve the quality of the inhabitants' lives, increase revenues from tourism and create badly needed job opportunities. He expressed appreciation for the help and donations offered by the international community.

30. Latif Dori, Secretary of the Committee for Israeli-Palestinian Dialogue, emphasized that the status of Jerusalem was one of the most significant and contentious issues of the entire Arab-Israeli conflict. In order to make the peace process possible, the Oslo agreements had deferred the issue for a five-year interim period with the assumption that a solution of less complicated issues would build confidence between the two peoples. He expressed serious doubts, however, that the current Israeli Government would be prepared to make the necessary concessions. He said that Israel had a long record of flagrantly disregarding United Nations resolutions concerning the Palestine issue, including those on Jerusalem, in particular Security Council resolution 478 (1980) rejecting the annexation of the city. He criticized the policy of the Israeli Government with regard to Jerusalem which subjected the Arab population of Fast Jerusalem to severe hardships. "Quiet deportations" of thousands of Palestinians were taking place using laws, regulations, court judgements and administrative tactics. That was complemented by a total closure, cutting off Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank and the Palestinians living there, for whom the city was the national, religious, economic and social center. Another aspect of that oppressive policy was the constant persecution of all Palestinian institutions in Jerusalem.

31. He went on to commend the steadfastness of the Palestinians living in the city. He referred to the difficulties of the Israeli peace camp in waging a struggle for a shared Jerusalem and said that a "two-capital" solution was becoming increasingly accepted, although its supporters still represented a minority among the Israeli population. Jerusalem, with its Eastern part as the capital of Palestine and its Western part as the capital of Israel, must remain a united city, with freedom of movement for all. The two municipalities should form a joint council to deal with common issues, such as water, electricity etc. A special solution should be devised for the holy places of the three monotheistic religions, in connection with their representatives.

32. Jaber Omar, Professor of Economics at the Catholic University of Pelotas and the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, presented in his paper a sectorial analysis of the Palestinian economy and said that the Palestinian Authority was developing all necessary instruments to run a state; it was monitoring the economy and had introduced a fiscal policy and taxation system. He elaborated on some indicators of the Palestinian economy starting with agriculture, which played historically an important role. Its main problems were connected to the small size of the farms, the limited infrastructure and the dependency on imported supplies. Whereas the output of the industrial sector had remained more or less unchanged over many years, the construction sector attracted most of the recent investments. The biggest potential, however, laid in the development of tourism, which constituted the main source of foreign currency. This sector was, unfortunately, mostly affected by the political situation. In developing an infrastructure for tourism, the Palestinian Authority should realize that Israel was the biggest competitor and consider similar approaches, such as subsidizing the tourism sector with government funds.

33. Fathi Arafat, Member of the Palestine National Council and President of the Palestine Red Crescent Society, showed a video demonstrating the efforts by his organization to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people. He said that the world should not only discuss the political developments, but must understand the feelings of the Palestinian people living for decades under occupation. He referred to a recently published study showing the adverse impact of the occupation on both Palestinian and Israeli children. One intolerable effect of the closures was a shortage of ambulances in East Jerusalem, with ambulances from the West Bank not being allowed to enter and those from West Jerusalem not willing to drive into East Jerusalem. Presenting concrete figures, he showed the advantage of implementing donor projects in cooperation with Palestinian organizations since that put more money into the project itself rather than into the bureaucracy, as big organizations such as the World Bank tended to do. He called for increased international assistance and said that there was an urgent need for psychologists and social workers in the occupied territory to help alleviate the negative impact of the oppressive policies of the occupying Power. Describing the plight of children, deprived of the joys of childhood, he also encouraged participants to collect and send musical instruments and toys for them.

Panel III

The role of Latin America and the Caribbean in promoting a comprehensive, just and lasting solution

of the question of Palestine through solidarity and assistance

34. Speakers addressed the role of Governments and intergovernmental organizations, the role of businesses and private groups, as well as the role of cultural institutions, the media, diaspora Palestinians and NGOs.

35. Ivan Moreira Barros, Member of the Chilean Parliament, said that the Latin American and Caribbean countries could best contribute to a solution of the Palestinian problem by helping to strengthen political and economic institutions. The young nations of the continent overcame problems similar to those the Palestinian Authority was currently faced with, such as political violence and terrorism, expulsion of large numbers of people, loss of freedom and exile, but also economic statism, weakening of the rule of law and institutions and political and economic centralism. He said that the recent experience of the countries of the region in coping with those danger, could serve as a guide in the search for a genuine solution to the question of Palestine in addition to the necessary diplomatic support for the peace process by calling for the implementation of the respective United Nations resolutions, cooperating with international assistance agencies and approving international credits.

36. Based on the experience of the Latin American and Caribbean countries, he suggested a number of principles international assistance should focus on: full establishment of individual rights and guarantees through the design of proper legal and judicial mechanisms; a strong and efficient but small central government as decentralization is a powerful tool for combatting corruption and bureaucracy; a sound and balanced fiscal policy, which is essential to attract foreign investment; strengthening property rights and entrusting economic development to private initiative; and the establishment of a strong, autonomous judicial system with clear procedures and rules, independent of political and economic power. He stated that the countries of the region could make practical contributions in all those areas by sending official missions and international experts and through the exchange of experience between governmental agencies. The relevant entities in Chile would be the Central Bank, the superintendencias, supervisory entities active in various economic areas run by private individuals, and the municipalities. In conclusion, he called upon the Palestinian people to suspend internal power struggles and to prioritize reaching agreement on the most necessary political and economic changes.

37. Jandira Feghali, Member of the Brazilian Parliament, said that while the Palestinian people were trying to build a Palestinian state, the Israeli Government was economically strangling the Palestinians, in an unacceptable process of colonization, through closures, occupation and confiscation of land and resources and the construction of settlements in the Palestinian territory, in addition to human rights abuses. She suggested a number of measures that should be taken by the Brazilian Parliament: to reactivate the Arab-Brazilian Parliamentary League; to involve the external relations commissions of the National Congress; to increase relations with the diplomatic missions of the Arab countries in Brazil; to call on the Brazilian Government to prohibit the import of products manufactured in Israeli settlements; to pressure the Brazilian Government to open a diplomatic representation in Ramallah; to establish close contacts between the Brazilian Foreign Office and the Palestinian Authority; to broaden parliamentary action involving the federal states, the municipalities, their legislative assemblies and municipal chambers; to confront misinformation and the distortion of news; and to provide material assistance to the Palestinian representation in Brazil. Ms. Feghali concluded by stating that to defend the Palestinian State was to defend life, liberty and the autonomy of the people.

38. Airtor Soares, lawyer, former Member of the Brazilian Parliament and former Secretary-General of the Arab-Brazilian Parliamentary League, recalled his personal efforts to create an association of Brazilian parliamentarians in support of the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people. He said that, even five years after the signing of the Oslo accords the negative image of the Palestinians prevailed in the news coverage of major Brazilian media. He criticized the current Israeli Government for not fulfilling its commitments under the accords signed with the PLO. He suggested the strengthening of the links with the Jewish communities living in Latin American countries with a view to influencing the adverse Israeli position towards the peace process and rectifying certain elements of the coverage by the media. Mutual visits of Latin American and Caribbean parliamentarians and members of the Knesset as well as the Palestinian Council would contribute to strengthening the peace forces. Linking cities and establishing partnerships between municipalities had proved useful in the past. Trade unions should establish contacts with the Histadrut and should express their concerns regarding the peace process. Participants should encourage their Governments to promote relations at all levels of political life with the Palestinian people, such as an official representation by the PLO, a diplomatic mission to the territory under the Palestinian Authority, and contacts between universities and other institutions.

39. Mario Nazal Momares, President of the Chilean-Palestinian Chamber of Commerce, said that the nationalism that had been practiced by the Israeli Government for fifty years, had been shaped by feelings of superiority and domination, transforming a persecuted people into an oppressor. He recalled the visit of Pope John Paul II to the United Nations, during which he reminded Governments that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights should be extended to all nations, a clear message for the need to respect the right of nations to exist, and the rights of minorities. He suggested that the Latin American and Caribbean countries should create mechanisms of technical and economic contact and cooperation to assist the Palestinian people. The establishment of chambers of commerce would provide a mechanism of communication among businessmen of Palestinian descent in the region, with a view to channelling their experience and economic contribution for the reconstruction of the Palestinian economy. He called on Governments to follow the example of Chile in recognizing the Palestinian Authority by opening diplomatic missions.

40. Gaston Ibanez O'Brien, former Minister of Industry and Tourism of Peru and contributor to the newspaper Expresso, gave a short historic overview of the land of Palestine and the Palestinian people and then turned to the role of Governments in the current situation. He criticized the United States as a self-appointed peacemaker who increasingly displayed its bias towards Israel through its vetoes in the Security Council and its negative votes in the General Assembly and the Human Rights Commission, where it was on the only country backing Israel. It had also supplied Israel with nuclear technology, which had enabled it to achieve significant military superiority in the Middle East. He called on the United Nations to insist on the implementation of Security Council resolution 242 (1967) with the same vigor it displayed more recently when imposing sanctions against Iraq and Yugoslavia. He said that Israel's argument that it needed the occupied territories to respond to a possible Arab attack was no longer valid, given the recognition by the PLO of the State of Israel and the huge difference in the military potential between Israel and its Arab neighbours.

41. The speaker deplored the lack of adequate and impartial information about the rights of the Palestinian people. In contrast, an overwhelming amount of information was provided by the major Jewish-owned communications media. He said that it was important for public opinion to learn more about the reality of the Arab-Israeli peace process and to have access to impartial information. Cultural institutions and NGOs could help in that effort by conducting workshops and panel discussions to present different viewpoints. Also, members of the Palestinian diaspora should promote articles in periodicals and participate in radio and television programmes to help publicize the rights of the Palestinian people.

42. Doris Musalem Rahal, Professor and Researcher in the Department of Politics and Culture at the Metropolitan Autonomous University of Mexico stated that in Mexico, the coverage of the Palestinian question by the media had been predominantly marked by disinformation, distortion and a lack of proper context. The dominant television company, Televisa, had sought, for the past thirty years, to delegitimize the Palestinian cause. She saw the reason for that situation in Israel's clear and well-designed world strategy in the media, implemented by powerful and financially influential Jewish groups in the respective countries and in the lack of a communications strategy on the part of the Palestinians. After the signing of the Oslo accords, reporting had become more objective, the overall coverage, however, remained fragmentary, sparse and out of context. Radio and press in Mexico had a more limited audience, middle level intellectuals and managers, but could have a greater impact in favor of the Palestinian people, because it reached decision-makers. Their treatment of the question of Palestine was more objective.

43. She suggested the establishment, in the region, of a directorate for studies of the Palestine question in order to set up an information network to enhance the quality and quantity of information on the Palestinian cause. Experts should write articles on the issue to be published in various countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, with a target of three to four articles per month in different newspapers and periodicals. An inventory of existing video material should be conducted and new videos produced. Existing information, in particular articles critical of Israel from the Israeli and European press and results of opinion polls among Israelis and Palestinians, should be widely reproduced and disseminated. United Nations press bulletins and publications on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should receive broad coverage in the media. She welcomed the fact that the Division for Palestinian Rights had established a home page on the question of Palestine on the Internet. Universities and cultural institutions in the region should be provided with audio-visual material on the issue to be used in their courses and should be encouraged to organize seminars or panels on the question of Palestine.

44. Enrique Correa, former Secretary-General of the Chilean Government and, Dean of the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences in Santiago, pointed out that the question of Palestine was not distant from the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean and that they sympathized with the Palestinian cause. Supporting a peaceful solution of the Palestine question was a reaffirmation of the recent peaceful gains by the peoples of the region, who had overcome wars, dictatorships and autocracies. He recalled that both Palestinians and Jews had become part of the roots of the peoples in the region and that important diaspora communities lived in the Latin American countries. He stressed, in conclusion, the importance of compliance by all parties with the peace accords, even if they had been signed by a previous Israeli Government.

45. Maria Cecilia Barro Gil, editor of the international politics section of Cronista Comercial, Buenos Aires, pointed out that the media had become one of the fronts where political, military or economic conflicts were waged and won. The concentration of information was nowadays greater then ever before. An elite of reporters had become the architects of the news, bringing along their conceptions, definitions, prejudices, interests and misunderstandings. She said that the media should not become the spokesman for Western hegemony, but rather be independent critical observers and analysts of the real situation. She criticized the fact that many journalists displayed total ignorance of alien cultural identities, resorting instead to stereotypes. She saw one cause of the prevailing indifference in Latin America regarding the question of Palestine in the lack of information about the history of the Palestinian people. Most of the information published was processed by editors who had never seen the Palestinian territories, knew nothing about the history of its people or that the Palestinians were a nation with a well-defined economic and social base, with schools, universities, banks, cultural institutions and much more. It was imperative for journalists to place the information about the Palestinians in its historical context. She called upon journalists to demonstrate that a Palestinian State was not only a legitimate right, but also a feasible and essential element of a solution to the conflict.

46. Lucas Domingo Hernandez Polledo, researcher and Deputy Director of the Center for Studies on Africa and the Middle East in Havana, emphasized that the Madrid peace process was the only hope for a peaceful solution of the conflict and that the international community should combine efforts with the parties concerned to overcome the current standstill. The Governments of the Latin American and Caribbean region should wield their influence at the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement and at other fora to support resolutions fostering the peace process, rejecting annexationist and colonialist practices and to adopt specific programmes of assistance to the Palestinian people. The academic and cultural institutions of the region had a duty to present, in a balanced manner, the truth surrounding the question of Palestine. Ties between those institutions should be strengthened, both nationally and internationally, using traditional means such as bulletins, magazines and studies, as well as non-traditional ones like a-mail. With a view to mobilizing public opinion, the institutions should open their doors to broader segments of society, establish links to educational institutions and obtain access to the mass media to disseminate objective information to influence political positions in their respective countries. Arab and Jewish academic and cultural institutions in the diaspora should set themselves up as models of tolerance and coexistence and sponsor joint activities to promote peace, friendship and intercultural solidarity.

47. Hanna Yousef Emile Safieh, Professor of Chemistry at the Federal University of Natal, Brazil, Secretary-General of the Confederation of Palestinian Communities in Latin America and the Caribbean (COPLAC) and Member of the Palestine National Council, said that, historically, the diaspora Palestinians had defined their role as the locomotives and catalysts of the Palestinian movement for a homeland and had organized the armed resistance against the occupier. With the establishment of the Palestinian Authority, the centre of Palestinian politics had moved inwards, away from the diaspora. The Palestinian entity in the West Bank and Gaza had become the embryo of Palestinian statehood. It was the diaspora's role and duty to promote and support that upcoming entity with all the means in their power. He noted the urgency to support institution-building to lay the foundations of an independent and democratic state. The diaspora should help fund governmental and non-governmental organizations alike, but, even more importantly, it should invest in the territories to create employment.

48. He stated that the Palestinian economy was kept in artificial dependence to function as Israel's captive market. The diaspora should give priority to investments in export oriented industries or in the production of local substitutes for Israeli imports. The diaspora was also ideally positioned to promote the tourist industry and related services, to transfer know-how and to provide intermediaries and guarantors to establish business relations with the world through their chambers of commerce. To increase the political impact of the diaspora, it should learn to function as a cohesive force in the centres of decision-making, such as Washington D.C., and other relevant capitals. It should invest its efforts in the media, political parties, trade unions, religious institutions and even sports associations.

IV. Closing session

49. Cristian Maquiera, Director of the Department of Multilateral Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile, expressed his firm conviction that a solution of the question of Palestine required the full realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. He deplored the fact that the historic opportunity for peace and reconciliation that had opened in Madrid was not pursued vigorously, that the emerging trust between Israelis and Palestinians was again fading and that the parties had returned to old stereotypes. The international community should insist that the accords signed by the two parties be honored and the bilateral negotiations be reactivated as soon as possible. The planned millennium celebrations in Bethlehem in the year 2000 should become a benchmark for the achievement of peace.

50. Airton Soares, Coordinator of the Latin American and Caribbean NGOs on the Question of Palestine, referred to the deliberations of the NGOs and highlighted some of the planned actions, focusing on the support of Palestinian children, in cooperation with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); the liberation of all Palestinian political prisoners; and the promotion of economic assistance to the Palestinian people. The NGOs, in cooperation with the United Nations, would undertake to review information material on the question of Palestine and prepare it for mass distribution. They planned to mobilize new support for a solution of the question of Palestine by public debates in universities and cultural institutions and to gain access to the mass media in the countries in Latin America and Caribbean. Young people from the region should meet with Palestinians from the occupied territories; dialogue and joint action between Palestinian and Israeli communities should be promoted.

51. Hussein Abdelkhaliq, representative of Palestine in Chile, recalled that the events of fifty years ago, referred to as al-nagba or the catastrophe, had forced a large portion of the Palestinian population to live in exile. Those Palestinians supported, in principle, the evolving dialogue between the PLO and the Israeli Government and saw the peace process as an opportunity to end the armed conflict. It was, however, imperative that Israel fulfil the signed agreements and that the dialogue lead to a satisfactory permanent solution of the conflict.

52. Ibra Deguéne Ka, Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, said that the deliberations reflected wide concern on the fragility of what had been accomplished in the peace process. While understanding Israel's security needs, it was clear that many of its policies, such as the continued expansion of settlements in and around Jerusalem and in the West Bank, the confiscation of land and the repeated closures of the Palestinian territory, only increased the sense of frustration and hopelessness among the Palestinians. He expressed the hope that the parties would respect the spirit and letter of the already negotiated agreements and continue without delay on the path to peace. It was essential that full confidence in the peace process be restored and tangible improvements in the life of Palestinians be achieved in order to lay the groundwork for the negotiations on the permanent status arrangements. He concluded by pledging that the Committee would continue and intensify its efforts in the implementation of its mandate. Among the various initiatives pursued by the Committee, the "Bethlehem 2000" project had particular importance.

Annex I

Final document

1. Participants expressed their utmost appreciation to the Government and the people of Chile for providing a venue for the Latin American and Caribbean Seminar and NGO Symposium on the Question of Palestine and for the excellent facilities, courtesy and warm hospitality extended to them.

2. Participants welcomed the convening of the Latin American and Caribbean Seminar and NGO Symposium held from 26 to 29 May 1998, as an important contribution to continuing international efforts to bring about a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the question of Palestine in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions. They emphasized the significance of the role that the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean had played, and continue to play, towards this objective. They particularly welcomed the holding of the meeting in Chile because of its prominent role in the region and in international bodies, the presence of many Chileans of Palestinian descent, and its support for Palestinian rights as demonstrated by the fact that it was the first country in the region to open a consular office in the territory under the Palestinian Authority.

3. Participants commended the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People for this significant initiative at a time of great importance for future peace efforts, and expressed the view that this kind of meeting should continue to be held in all regions.

4. Participants drew the attention of the international community, and in particular that of the Latin American and Caribbean countries, to the fact that more than fifty years after the decision of partition of Palestine by the United Nations General Assembly and the creation of Israel as the Jewish State, the Arab State has still not come into being. Participants reaffirmed their support for the continuing efforts of the international community and the Palestinian people to achieve its inalienable rights, including the right to establish, alongside Israel, the State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem (Al-Quds) as its capital.

5. Participants expressed their support for the Middle East peace process launched at Madrid in October 1991, and the historical agreements reached with the signing of the Oslo Declaration of Principles in September 1993 and subsequently. They also emphasized that those agreements represent an essential step on the path towards the implementation of Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) and all other relevant United Nations resolutions, the reconciliation between the parties based on a two-State solution and the establishment of peaceful and cooperative relationships throughout the region. They stressed that there is no alternative to the peace process and the need for the full and effective implementation of the agreements reached.

6. At the same time, participants expressed their grave concern over the prolonged deadlock in the peace process, resulting from the policies of the present Government of Israel as well as its practices that are contrary to its obligations as the occupying Power under the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949. These illegal practices violate the letter and spirit of the agreements signed by both parties and undermine the peace process.

7. In particular, participants expressed grave concern at the intensification of land confiscation and the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and especially the construction of the settlement at Jabal Abu Ghneim. They stressed that settlements contravene international law and Security Council resolutions. Participants agreed that settlements create facts on the ground that seriously jeopardize the attainment of the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people and constitute the greatest obstacle to the achievement of a just and lasting peace. They called upon Israel to stop all settlement activities. They called for the cessation of all forms of assistance and support for those and other illegal Israeli activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and called in particular for a boycott of goods manufactured in the settlements.

8. Participants expressed appreciation for the work done by the Israeli peace camp and encouraged them to continue their efforts within the Israeli society in building support for the establishment of the independent Palestinian State.

9. Participants emphasized that the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, in view of their experience in the struggle for political and economic independence and development, their long-standing solidarity with the Palestinian people, and with their tradition of harmonious relations between Palestinian and Jewish communities, can contribute to advance the peace process and to Palestinian nation-building.

10. Participants called upon the Latin American and Caribbean Governments to play an important role in promoting Palestinian efforts to achieve independence and sovereignty, in particular by establishing diplomatic representation in the area under the Palestinian Authority and by supporting the upgrading of the status of Palestine at the United Nations. The NGOs reaffirmed that 1999 is the year of the State of Palestine and pledged to work with their constituencies and the public to prepare them for the declaration of the independent State by the Palestinian Authority.

11. In the economic sphere, Latin American and Caribbean countries could contribute, together with the international community, to the efforts to help undo the negative effects of the years of occupation, restore the deteriorating Palestinian economy and improve living conditions for Palestinians. Participants encouraged various economic initiatives aimed at granting preferential treatment to Palestinian products, as well as transfer of technology, assistance in the fields of health, housing and education.

12. Participants called on the civil society organizations to create a fund in their respective countries that would provide assistance to specific projects in the social field to help the Palestinian people in this critical phase. The NGOs decided that their work for the next years will be focused on the humanitarian, social and cultural assistance to the Palestinian people.

13. Participants stressed the importance of the 'Bethlehem 2000" project launched by the Palestinian Authority through the Bethlehem 2000 Committee in cooperation with the Bethlehem municipality. They urged the Governments and peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean, both for cultural and religious reasons, to actively participate in the millennial celebrations and to assist the Palestinian people in the successful implementation of that project.

14. Participants stressed the importance of dialogue and joint activities by the Palestinian and Jewish communities in Latin America and the Caribbean with the objective of achieving better mutual understanding and promoting support for the peace process, and called for moral and material support by the United Nations.

15. Participants also pointed out that widespread dissemination of impartial and accurate information about the Arab-Israeli conflict, the problem of Palestine refugees, the Palestinian experience of dispossession and the current situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, is essential in order to heighten awareness and to further mobilize public opinion in the Latin American and Caribbean region. The Division for Palestinian Rights of the Secretariat was requested to explore modalities for enhancing electronic communication with NGOs, and to ensure the preparation and issuance of updated and easy-to-read publications and audio-visual materials on the most important aspects of the question of Palestine in the languages of the region.

Annex II

Plan of action adopted by the NGO workshop

Participating NGOs committed themselves to:

Support all Palestinian children, especially the orphans and the mutilated; Work for the liberation of all Palestinian political prisoners;

Provide financial support for Palestinian institutions such as hospitals and universities;

Work in cooperation with the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People to issue appropriate informational material on the question of Palestine and to disseminate it to a larger audience;

Strengthen political support further and to make efforts to obtain new support;

Introduce the Palestine question on a permanent basis in university curriculums and cultural institutions in Latin American and Caribbean countries, in order to inform public opinion;

Stimulate exchanges between Palestinian youth and the youth of Latin America and the Caribbean;

Promote dialogue and joint action between the Palestinian and Israeli communities of Latin America and the Caribbean;

Promote humanitarian aid to Palestinian children overseas in the form of sending toys and study material in conjunction with UNICEF and UNESCO.

Annex III

Membership of the Coordinating Committee for Latin American and Caribbean NGOs

on the Question of Palestine*

1998-1999

* Open-ended committee. The members listed signed up during the meeting.

Annex IV

List of participants

Panelists

Marai Abderrahman

Secretary-General, Palestinian Council for Justice and Peace, Ramallah, West Bank

Juan Abugattas

Professor of Philosophy, University of San Marcos and the University of Lima, Peru

Ghassan Andoni

President, Rapprochement – Center for Dialogue and Understanding, West Bank

Fathi Arafat

President, Palestinian Red Crescent Society, Cairo, Egypt

Maria Cecilia Barro Gil

Editor of international politics section of Cronista Comercial

Enrique Correa

Former Governor General, Dean of the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences, Santiago, Chile

Richard Curtiss

Executive Editor, Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, Washington, D.C.

Latif Dori

Secretary, Committee for Israeli-Palestinian Dialogue, Tel Aviv, Israel

Jandira Feghali

Member of Brazilian Parliament, Brasilia

Sarah Kaminker

Planning Consultant, Jerusalem

Marzouq Marzouqa

Member of Municipal Council of Bethlehem, Bethlehem

Mario Nazal Momares

President, Palestinian-Chilean Chamber of Commerce, Santiago, Chile

Ivan Moreira Barros

Member of Chilean Parliament

Gaston Ibanez O'Brien

Former Minister of Industry and Tourism of Peru and contributor to the newspaper Expresso

Jaber Omar

Professor of Economics, Catholic University of Pelotas and Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Lucas D. Hernandez Polledo

Researcher, Deputy Director of the Center for Studies on Africa and the Middle East, Havana, Cuba

Tilda Rabi

President, Federation of Palestinian Associations in Argentina, Santiago, Chile

Doris Musalem Rahal

Professor and Researcher, Department of Politics and Culture, University Autonoma Metropolitans, Mexico

Hanna Safieh

Professor, Federal University of Natal, Member of the Palestinian National Council, Brazil

Airton Soares

Lawyer, former Member of Brazilian Parliament, former Secretary-General of the Arab-Brazilian Parliamentary League, Brazil

Ahmed Soboh

Director-General of International Cooperation, Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, Palestinian Authority, Gaza

Dedi Zucker

Member of Knesset

Delegation of the Committee on the Exercise of the
Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People

Ibra Deguéne Ka, Chairman, Permanent Representative of Senegal to the United Nations

Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Vice-Chairman, Permanent Representative of Cuba to the United Nations

George Saliba, Rapporteur, Permanent Representative of Malta to the United Nations

Sotirios Zackheos, Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the United Nations

Nasser Al-Kidwa, Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations

Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations

Jose Antonio Ocampo

Executive Secretary, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)

Governments

Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, France, Guatemala, Greece, Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Italy, Jordan, Morocco, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland , Portugal, Romania, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey, Ukraine

Other organizations having received a standing invitation
to participate as observers in the sessions and the work
of the General Assembly and maintaining
permanent observer mission at Headquarters

Palestine

United Nations bodies and agencies

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

Non-governmental organizations

Participants

Agrupación de Comerciantes, Santiago

Asociación de Mujeres Palestinas en Chile, Santiago

Asociación de Profesionales Palestinos-Chilenos, Santiago

Centro de Estudios sobre Africa y el Oriente Medio, Havana

Centro de Estudios Arabes, Santiago

Colectividad Arabe de San Felipe, Chile

Comites Peruano por la Paz, Lima

Consejo de la Iglesia de Santísima Virgen Maria, Santiago

Consejo Superior del Arzobispo Ortodoxo Iglesia de San Nicolas, Santiago

COPLAC (Confederation of Palestinian Communities in Latin America and the Caribbean), Sao Paulo, Brazil

Corporación CEDESCO, Santiago

Corporación Cristiana Ortodoxa, Santiago

Federación de Entidades Americano-Arabe, FEARAB-AMERICA, Santiago

Federación de Entidades Chileno-Arabe, FEARAB-CHILE, Santiago

Federación de Entidades Palestine de Argentina, Buenos Aires

Federación Palestine de Chile, Santiago

Fundación Argentina para el Tercer Mundo, Buenos Aires

Fundación Educacional y Cultural San Pablo, Santiago

Fundación Salvador Allende, Santiago

Iglesia Ortodoxa Santfsima Virgen Marfa, Santiago

Juventud Palestine de Chile, Santiago

Latin American Confederation of Young Men's Christian Associations

Memoria Palestine en Chile y Argentina, Santiago

Movimiento Universitario Palestino, Santiago

SANAUD-Chile, Santiago

Observers

Arab Brazilian Parliamentary League, Brasilia

Camara de Comercio Chileno-Palestine, Santiago Club Palestino, Lima

Club Sirio Unido, Santiago

Federaci6n de Entidades Palestinas en Brasil

Sao Paolo Franciscans International, New York, USA

Instituto Chileno-Arabe de Cultura, Santiago

Sociedad Uni6n Musulmana de Chile, Santiago

Uni6n Arabe de Beneficiencia, Santiago

Union of Brasilian Women, Brasilia

NGO Coordinating Committees

Latin American Coordinating Committee for NGOs on the Question of Palestine
North American Coordinating Committee for NGOs on the Question of Palestine

Media

Periódico Mundo Arabe

Agencia Mexicana de Noticias (NOTIMEX)

Agencia UPI

Panamericana Televisi6n

Radio B 92

Radio Cooperativa

Frecuencia Latina Televisi6n

Revista Que Pasa

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