umkahlil

For Immediate Release
January 27, 2008

Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition, mourns the passing ofDr. George Habash. We also celebrate his life and resistance as one of the most influential and principled leaders of the Arab struggle for liberation,unity, and equality. Dr. Habash never wavered from the path that we, as Palestinians, have the right and duty to return and reclaim our homeland, stolen from us in 1948 by the combined forces of European Zionism andWestern imperialism. Dr. Habash's political work found expression in the creation of the Arab Nationalist Movement followed by The Popular Front forthe Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). He never wavered from his belief in the popular (people's) struggle, and that it was the people themselves who determined their destiny.

Dr. Habash was an outspoken opponent of the Oslo accords and of all the capitulation schemes for accommodating the occupier. After the formation of the Palestinian Authority he stated "Ramallah and Gaza are parts of my beloved Palestine and they are so dear to me, but I want to go back to LYD, my city". He also made it clear that he would never return to any part of Palestine while his city was under occupation. Dr. Habash believed his return was non-negotiable: "You can negotiate as you want but my right toreturn is not for any president to discuss."

Dr. Habash was always confident that the future belongs to our Arab nation.When asked in 1998 of the message that he wanted to pass to future generations, his response was: "human history moves in a progressive direction. I say that confidently and hopefully. But hopes, wishes, anddreams alone will not achieve our objectives. One cannot roll back the wheel of history, but we can make sure that the lessons of the past are not dissipated. History is a register open to whoever has the determination and ability to merit an entry therein. I am full of hope that the generations of our children and grandchildren will have a future that is brighter than our present."

The prelude to that brighter future became manifest last week in Gaza. As Dr. Habash was enduring his final illness, the people of Gaza broke down the wall at the Rafah crossing with Egypt. The Palestinian Arab people, welcomed by their Arab Egyptian brothers and sisters, broke through a barrier that was used to maintain the months' long siege of murder and starvation by the occupiers of our land. This defiance and brave resistance to 60 years of dispossession and occupation has uplifted our struggle and brought us closer to our return. They are a fitting tribute tothe work and life of Dr. Habash. May he rest in peace.

Until return,
Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition
PO Box 131352
Carlsbad, CA 92013,
USATel: 760-685-3243 Fax: 360-933-3568E-mail: info@al-awda.orghttp://al-awda.org/