Palestinian activists gather from across Latin America to boost cause

The Palestinian Latin Forum has participated in the second conference of the Palestinian National Union (UPAL) held recently in Barranquilla, Colombia. The conference lasted for three days and was attended by Palestinian and foreign delegations from various countries across Latin America, including Venezuela, Bolivia, Brazil, Honduras, Guatemala, Colombia and El Salvador.

The aim of the conference was to renew Palestinian activism in Latin America, building trust and cohesion across its broad spectrum of Palestinian society, seeking a more effective role and building a political entity that represents all Palestinian communities across the continent. The conference also attacked the Palestinian Authority and the Oslo normalisation process and affirmed its rejection and lack of recognition of both. It also stressed its refusal to cooperate with the Palestinian Authority Embassies in South and Central America.

The president of the Palestinian Latin Forum, Muhamad El-Kadri, stressed to delegates the need to preserve the Palestinian cause and work for it, while exerting all individual and collective efforts in order to convey in all international forums the suffering of the Palestinian people and the injustice they are subjected to. He also emphasised that Palestine will be liberated sooner or later and that the Palestinians will not give up their legitimate rights guaranteed under international laws and conventions.

El-Kadri called for conferences to be held in all Latin American countries to let the Palestinian voice be heard in every place in South and Central America because of the continent’s great role in international politics. This, he added, is what the Palestinian Latin Forum and many other Palestinian institutions in Latin America seek.

At the end of the conference, elections were held for the administrative body of all participating countries. Ricardo Mahrez from Colombia was elected as the new president of the conference, taking over from Samaan Khoury of El Salvador. The conference concluded with a dinner, followed by many Palestinian cultural performances, with which the attendees interacted and applauded.

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