The International Solidarity Movement (ISM) reports that hundreds of activists and dozens of senior Palestinians, including Prime Minister Salaam Fayyad, attended the opening of the 6th International Bil’in Conference on Popular Resistance.Mr Fayyad called on the international community to promote Palestinian self-determination by supporting the planned declaration of independence in September. Moreover, he stated that the international community has a duty to help protect the Palestinian non-violent movement, referring specifically to the recent arrests of Naji Tamimi and Bassem Tamini of the Nabi Saleh popular committee.
Amongst the attendees were recently released protest leader Abdullah Abu Rahmah and former Vice President of the European Parliament, Luisa Morgantini. Abbas Zackie represented the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) at the event.
Over 20 international diplomats were in attendance, including Christian Berger who represented the European Commission. Britain, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Romania, Poland and Austria all sent Consul Generals to the event. At the same event, via a live video, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights in Gaza launched their naval peace team, to document human rights violations against Gazan fishermen.
