\'Palestinian unity is important\'

In an exclusive interview with Arabstoday, the Secretary General of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), Nayef Hawatmeh, has said that the idea of ??establishing a confederation between Jordan and Palestine right now will affect both parties, as it will serve the interests of the Israeli occupation. AT: When will you go to Ramallah? Hawatmeh: "We made great efforts to return to Ramallah in the 1990's but the occupation erected the barrier to prevent our absolute right to return. However, I am sure that the land of the Canaanite inheritance will find its way to salvation from occupation." AT: The Palestinian project moved to a new phase after Palestine gained the observer state at the United Nations, how will the Palestinians benefit from this development? Hawatmeh: "Given the Palestinian's historical experience, the General Assembly resolution is a political and historic victory which was acknowledged by the Israeli analysts, and was demonstrated in the Israeli reactions. After a few hours of that decision, Israel resorted to the expected punitive measures when it announced the immediate construction of 3,000 housing units between Ramallah and Jerusalem. The decision led to worldwide condemnation, such as statements of the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon who stated that, 'settlement activity is illegal from the standpoint of the international legitimacy,' in addition to the condemnation of some Western European countries, which are keen to protect Israel. They warned Israel of 'increasing its international isolation.' In the same context, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed her anger and concerns over the consequences of that behaviour. We can notice the changing and evolving global conditions, where the US is no longer able to determine the destiny of the people of the world, and where Israel is no longer able to rely on its philosophy of deterrence and aggressive fire-power. On the Palestinian level, we see the settlement policy as a dangerous behaviour and therefore, we resorted to the Security Council despite knowing that it is locked with the power of the American veto. To answer your question, I would say that firstly, we should depend on ourselves in light of the international legitimacy, so we have to restore the national unity and end the divisions and prepare for the third uprising. Secondly, we have to gain the membership of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and join the Fourth Geneva Convention to deter and stop the colonial settlement construction. Thirdly, we must stimulate the momentum of the resistance in various forms, and reform the socio-economic policy in the West Bank and Gaza." AT: Is it true that the Palestinian leadership began to talk about a confederation with Jordan, and what do you think? Hawatmeh: "We currently need a strategy to unify the Palestinians, and it is completely wrong to talk about a confederation before ending the occupation and establishing a Palestinian state. Moreover, through my meetings with the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, we believe that talk about the confederation now will harm both Jordan and Palestine. However, after we achieve the independent state, the Palestinian people will decide their relations with Jordan." AT: How do you see the Syrian situation? Hawatmeh: "The current Syrian impasse can only be terminated through new and democratic mechanisms, and the first step is to stop the military solution and all forms of violence, and secondly is the dialogue, in accordance with the mechanisms of the Geneva Conference."