Palestinian Forum in Istanbul Calls for Rebuilding National Representation on Democratic Foundations
The emergency Palestinian National Forum concluded in Istanbul, Turkey, having been convened by the National Authority for Palestinian Popular Action in partnership with the Conference of Palestinians in Turkey. The forum witnessed broad participation from over 350 Palestinian figures from the homeland and the diaspora, amid serious calls to renew the legitimacy of Palestinian representative institutions.
Broad Global Representation
According to the official report issued by the organizing body, 216 individuals participated in person, coming from more than 17 countries worldwide, while 162 participants joined via the Zoom platform. Accounting for non-duplicate participants, the total scope of representation spanned over 30 countries globally.
The forum—which brought together an elite group of figures, activists, and representatives of Palestinian institutions and communities—discussed pivotal issues relating to Palestinian national representation, the role of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), mechanisms for expanding popular participation, alongside the dossier of elections and the rebuilding of national institutions.
Call for Direct Elections and Rejection of Appointments
At the conclusion of its proceedings, participants issued a political declaration focusing on the necessity of renewing the legitimacy of Palestinian representative institutions through direct, free, and transparent electoral mechanisms.
The declaration expressed total rejection of what it described as “exclusion, marginalization, and selective appointment” in representing the Palestinian people, emphasizing that the selection of members of the Palestinian National Council must be based exclusively on popular will and free elections. Participants called upon all Palestinian forces, factions, figures, and institutions to refrain from participating in “selective appointment” processes and to withhold any national cover from them.
The declaration also urged the PLO leadership to “correct the course” and open a pathway to rebuild the organization and renew its representative legitimacy, while stressing the importance of preserving its status as the overarching national framework for Palestinians.
“My Vote Is My Decision, No to Appointments” and “Digital Palestine”
Two main practical steps emerged from the forum’s outcomes:
- “My Vote Is My Decision, No to Appointments” Campaign: Launched by the Palestinian Return Centre, this campaign aims to gather signatures from Palestinians in the homeland and the diaspora on a document affirming their right to participate in choosing their representatives, while rejecting appointment, exclusion, and marginalization in the national representation process.
- “Digital Palestine” Initiative: Regarded as a pathway to develop digital tools that serve popular participation and national organization, this initiative is linked to a proposal to establish a governed platform for the general registration of Palestinians. This would enable the creation of a national database capable of evolving toward the establishment of a registry for the Palestinian electorate.
Political Symposium and Open Dialogue
The forum’s program included a key political symposium titled “Priorities of the Palestinian National Project and the Elections File,” with participation from:
- Ahmad Ghunaim: Fatah Movement Leader
- Oraib Al-Rantawi: Writer and Political Analyst
- Majed Al-Zeer: Deputy Head of the General Authority of the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad
- Mohsen Saleh: Head of the Al-Zaytouna Centre for Studies and Consultations
- Mustafa Barghouti: Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative
The symposium was moderated by Ziad Al-Aaloul, Spokesperson for the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad. It was followed by an open dialogue session with participants regarding the priorities of the national project, the elections file, and the mechanisms for reforming and rebuilding representative institutions, alongside a presentation of the “Digital Palestine” initiative and a closing session discussing the “Forum Document.”
Prominent Participation from Homeland and Diaspora Figures
The list of speakers and contributors included prominent figures from various regions and countries, among them:
- Mohammed Mushinish (Head of the Conference of Palestinians in Turkey)
- Hassan Khraisheh (Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Council)
- Samaan Khoury (Head of the General Authority of आवाज / the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad)
- Hisham Abu Mahfouz (Acting Secretary-General of the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad)
- Nawaf Al-Takrori (Head of the Association of Palestinian Scholars)
Interventions were also delivered by Taysir Mohsen, Osama Al-Kurd, Ibrahim Ibrahim, Amin Abu Rashid, Nael Barghouti, Mahmoud Issa Abu Marsil, Iyad Abdel-Aal, Ayman Najmeh, Hamdan Al-Dmeiri, Hussein Khader, Sami Shaheen, Sari Zeiter, Salah Zaqout, Salah Abdel-Ati, Adnan Sabah, Fayez Abu Eid, Muslim Imran, Moussa Al-Rifai, and Anas Al-Hajj, alongside other figures who addressed the future of the PLO and mechanisms for renewing national institutions.
Electoral Governance Framework and Proposed Steps
The final declaration stressed that holding elections for the Palestinian National Council requires an integrated governance framework that includes:
- Calling upon all eligible voters among Palestinians in the homeland and the diaspora.
- Forming a supervisory committee characterized by expertise, specialization, and neutrality.
- Establishing a clear legal and regulatory foundation alongside a specialized judicial system to review issues related to elections and voting.
- Relying on the general registration platform as a practical proposal to build a national voter registry.
In conclusion, participants warned that failing to respond to their demands would lead to “serious steps” at the popular and national levels, calling for the establishment of a participatory Palestinian popular governance system in a peaceful and democratic manner to organize the popular will and exercise oversight and accountability. They reaffirmed that rebuilding the PLO represents a pressing current national priority.
The organizers clarified that upcoming steps will focus on following up on the adopted initiatives and expanding Palestinian participation in them.
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