British Palestinians: PNC Elections Are a Fundamental Right and Appointments Must Be Rejected
A large gathering of members of the Palestinian community convened in London to discuss the forthcoming reconstitution of the Palestinian National Council (PNC).
In a final statement, participants reaffirmed what they described as their fundamental democratic right to choose their representatives through the ballot box, firmly rejecting political appointments and quota-based representation.
A Voice from the Diaspora: Elections Are an Inherent Right
The statement opened by affirming that the Palestinian National Council is the overarching national body representing Palestinians both in Palestine and across the diaspora.
It stressed that electing the representatives of the Palestinian people is an inherent national and democratic right that must not be denied or circumvented under any circumstances.
The statement added that legitimate political representation can derive only from the will of the Palestinian people, expressed through free, fair and direct elections involving Palestinians in Palestine and the diaspora alike.
Clear Voting Procedures and Safeguards for Electoral Integrity
Citing the Palestine Liberation Organisation’s Basic Law and the 2026 electoral regulations for the Palestinian National Council, the participants called for practical measures to guarantee the right of Palestinians in the diaspora to stand as candidates and vote directly.
They also demanded the creation of accurate and transparent electoral registers that would prevent the exclusion of any eligible voters.
The participants called for independent expert, legal and technical committees to develop a detailed framework for electronic voting. They said the system must guarantee the secrecy and privacy of the ballot while establishing clear mechanisms for independent oversight, verification of electoral integrity and confirmation of the results.
Prominent Participants and Signatories
A broad range of Palestinian figures in Britain contributed to drafting and issuing the statement, including academics, journalists, legal experts and community and youth activists:
- Abdul Latif Ali — member of the Palestinian Youth Movement
- Adnan Hmidan — chairman of the Palestinian Forum in Britain
- Adnan Sabah — lawyer
- Ahmed al-Nashash — educator and academic
- Fares al-Ali — translator and community affairs advocate
- Fares Amer — spokesperson for the Palestinian Forum
- Firas al-Jazzar — Palestinian Forum representative in Manchester
- Hafez al-Karmi — member of the Association of Palestinian Scholars
- Hazem Jamjoum — writer and researcher
- Ibrahim Khadra — journalist
- Kamel Hawwash — professor and Birmingham city councillor
- Khaled Dawas — surgeon and medical relief activist
- Moein Shabib — researcher, academic and charity-sector expert
- Mohammad al-Qaddoumi — technology professional engaged in Palestinian affairs
- Mohammad Amin — journalist and head of the Arab London platform
- Omar Hajjaj — director of the Yaseen Youth Centre
- Saeed al-Sheikh — retired BBC journalist
- Sahm Yaghi — board member of the Palestinian community in Britain
- Samer Jaber — writer and researcher
- Shahd Hammouri — academic and legal researcher
- Wafaa Abu al-Saad — Palestinian activist and influencer
- Yara Mohammad — member of the Palestinian Youth Movement
- Zeinab Kamal — academic and educator
Call for Collective Action amid Existential Threats
The participants issued an urgent appeal to all Palestinian political forces, institutions and national figures to respect the popular will and unite their efforts to hold genuinely democratic elections capable of rebuilding political legitimacy through meaningful participation.
The statement said that the issue had acquired existential importance amid what it described as the continuing genocidal war in the Gaza Strip, policies of ethnic cleansing in the occupied West Bank and attempts to bring the Palestinian national cause to an end.
Under these circumstances, it argued, holding elections has become an urgent national duty necessary to reunify the Palestinian political arena and establish a unified leadership capable of confronting these threats decisively.
The firm position adopted by the Palestinian community in Britain reflects the determination of Palestinians in the diaspora to challenge their continued political marginalisation and defend their constitutional and national right to shape their representative institutions.
For the participants, the ballot box must remain the sole arbiter in establishing a legitimate Palestinian leadership capable of resilience and steadfastness.
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