General Union of Palestinian Students: An interview with Dr. Batrekhi Wail

Dynamic: What are the main problems facing the Palestinian people, and what are the solutions?

Wail: The occupation is the main problem for both the Palestinian and Israeli people. Israel must completely end the occupation and Israel must implement all UN resolutions related to the issue of occupation, especially #242, #338 and #194

Dynamic: What are the main problems facing the Palestinian people, and what are the solutions?

Wail: The occupation is the main problem for both the Palestinian and Israeli people. Israel must completely end the occupation and Israel must implement all UN resolutions related to the issue of occupation, especially #242, #338 and #194

Peaceful negotiation is only way to solve this conflict. Israeli people must fight to end this conflict now and to accept the Palestinian right to have an independent state. Israel must stop building new settlements and remove the existing ones, and find good and acceptable solution for Palestinian refuges as stated in UN Resolution #194.

As you know the majority of Palestinian people accept a peaceful settlement of the crisis, providing that all UN resolutions concerning the conflict would be implemented and a just and comprehensive peace would be established.

Dynamic: What is the importance of building an international solidarity movement around the issues? How can youth organizations around the world unite for peace?

Wail: We must all work very hard and actively for the principle that only continuing the peace negotiations can end the occupation and allow Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace. Youth organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations, political parties, and all peace-loving people of the world must mobilize our governments and public opinion in solidarity with Palestinian people. We must renew and increase public demonstrations in countries around the world in support of the Palestinian people.

We also recognize the importance of public information campaigns in the U.S. in particular. Therefore we must use our network contacts to share useful and effective information for public dissemination through the media and our organizations. The focus of such campaigns should be on making the ongoing occupation and recent Israeli military invasion of the Palestine more visible.

Our appeal must be that the lives of all human beings, be they Palestinian or Israeli are equally precious. So we call upon all peace- and justice-loving people in the world to strengthen their support of the just struggle of Palestinian people until all their inalienable rights materialize.\"

Dynamic: What are your suggested solutions to stop the suicide bombing for the immediate future and long term?

Wail: \"The Palestinian people and their elected leadership expressed there condemnation of all acts of killing civilians, whether they are Israelis or Palestinians or whether this terrorism is by a state, group, or individual. Israel must stop all massacres and stop the continuous illegal roadblocks and internal and external closures in Palestine. The humiliation and insult of Palestinian citizens at the roadblocks and crossings are serious violations of human rights and goes against all international laws and regulations.

We call on the International community to support the Palestinian Authority and its infrastructure and thereby give the Palestinian people hope for future of peace and dignity in an independent state.

Of course, the only solution to the crisis is the establishment of two states: Palestine and Israel. We hope, and on behalf of the Palestinian people, reiterate our commitment to a just peace between the two peoples and two countries, a peace that would bring security to the Israelis and independence and freedom in the form of an independent state for the Palestinian people.

The Bush administration most to stop all U.S. military, political, economic support of Israel. Israel must put pressure on Israel to immediately withdraw its forces and halt all military operations in Palestine. The UN most to find ways to put pressure on Israel to implement UN resolutions and to immediately send an UN peace keeping and monitoring force to the occupied Palestinian territories to protect civilian population from further assaults.

Dynamic: What is the biggest threat to peace in the Middle East?

Wail: \"The biggest threats to peace are 1) The occupation of Palestine, 2) Terrorism by states or individuals, 3) the U.S. government and its imperialist policies all over the world, 4) ideologies of religious extremism, Zionist and fascism.\"

Dynamic: What is the role of the Palestinian youth?

Wail: \"The role of Palestinian youth is to persist and emphasize the fact that the Palestinian people have every right to resist and fight the brutal Israeli occupation and to protect them selves and their families, according to the international laws and regulations. Palestinian youth will continue the struggle against the Israeli occupation until they achieve their inalienable right to and independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as it capital.

Palestinian people and youth want to live in peace and dignity. They want to study, to build their future and they want to play, dance like every other young person around the world. When Palestinian young people are killed by Israeli military force they should die like martyrs not like animals. And the youth know very clearly that only peace can bring security to all. Occupation, military force, massacres, and state terrorist acts against civilians can bring neither security nor peace to either the Israelis or the Palestinians.\"

Dr. Batrekhi Wail
Vice President of the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY)
Representative of the General Union of Palestinian Students (GUPS) to WFDY.