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Al-Ahram Weekly 6 - 12 May 1999 Issue No. 428 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 6 - 12 May 1999 Issue No. 428
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Profile Features Special Focus Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Steps toward statehood
By Abdel-Gawwad Saleh *
The statement issued by the Central Palestinian Council reflects the blackout imposed on its members and on all the Palestinian people regarding the problems and challenges they must address. At a time when settlement construction and expansion is proceeding with unprecedented intensity on usurped land -- the land on which the Palestinian state will be built -- this is particularly worrying. The statement also failed to focus on the economy, security or democracy -- all causes of grief and anxiety for the Palestinian people. The statement, in fact, utterly failed to focus on the steps which must be taken before statehood is declared.
The first of these steps should be to conduct democratic elections from the local council to the parliamentary level, drawing the terms of reference from the Palestinian people and not from Oslo. Presidential elections will also serve to bring forward new, responsible cadres.
Second, the Palestinians must establish a government outside parliament in order to ensure a separation of legislative and the executive powers and to guarantee the independence of the judiciary.
Third, they must bring to justice all those who have been accused of corruption. This will ensure popular support for the new leaders when they begin to address the challenges of Israeli occupation.
These steps are the necessary prerequisites of any attempt to establish a state. They will also show the Israeli government that the Palestinians are determined to consolidate their sovereignty over their homeland.
*This week's Soapbox speaker is Palestinian minister of agriculture.
