REMEMBERING GEORGE HABASH

Palestinian people commemorate Al-Hakim; occupiers shut down memorial in Palestine 48

Marking the one year anniversary of the death of the founder of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Al-Hakim, Comrade Dr. George Habash, numerous events and activities took place throughout Palestine and in exile, celebrating his work and his legacy and pledging to continue to move forward along his path.

In Haifa, the Zionist occupation authorities shut down an event on January 29, 2008 commemorating Al-Hakim under the orders of General Dudi Cohen, organized by Abna'a el-Balad and the Palestinian Arab community in occupied Palestine 48. Comrade Mohammed Kanaaneh, General Secretary of Abnaa el-Balad Movement, stated that the ban on this commemoration does not mean they can erase the memory of Al-Hakim or the collective memory of the Palestinian people, and that they will never separate the Palestinian people of occupied Palestine '48 from the rest of the Palestinian people.

Comrade Kanaaneh stated that the police are acting as an instrument of Zionist terror, a fascist police force in all senses of the word. He stated that the memory of Al-Hakim will live forever, and that no attempts of the Zionist state will manage to eradicate that legacy of struggle for all Palestinians and Arabs.

The Palestinian community in Sanaa, Yemen held an event to mark the life of Al-Hakim on February 1, 2009, attended by representatives of all Palestinian factions. The President of the Palestine Kanaan Association, Yahya Mohammed Abdullah Saleh, spoke at the event, calling Al-Hakim "the embodiment of Palestinian unity," and tracing his history of struggle as part of and as a leader of the Palestinian and Arab people, particularly focusing on his leadership of the Arab Nationalist Movement and his support to the Yemeni revolution in the struggle against British colonialism.

He called for Palestinian national unity in order to resist the occupier and liberate the land of Palestine. Comrade Dr. Ragab Mohammad Ragab spoke on behalf of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, stressing that the Front will continue to march along the path of Al-Hakim in commitment to the cause and the people of Palestine.

Mohammad Karim Ghneim, secretary of the Fateh movement in Yemen and Sultan Mahdavi of the Front for Democracy in Yemen spoke as well, saluting the Palestinian resistance in Gaza and emphasizing the support for resistance until victory.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine held a mass rally at the UNESCO Palace in Beirut, Lebanon on February 1, 2009, attended by large numbers of people as well as political, media, social and cultural delegations and representatives of institutions. Many Lebanese political leaders attended, including former President Salim al-Hoss, and President of the Chamber of Deputies Nabih Berri, and President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Siniora sent greetings to the event.

Dr. Khaled Hadadeh, General Secretary of the Lebanese Communist Party, attended, as did a delegation from Hezbollah, the Popular Democratic Party and many other Lebanese political parties, including the Progressive Party, the Syrian Social Nationalist Party and the Socialist Union. Delegations from the Palestinian factions and popular committees also attended the event.

Comrade Marwan Abdel Al, member of the Political Bureau of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, spoke on behalf of the PFLP, paying tribute to the legacy of Al-Hakim and also to the triumph of the resistance in Gaza. He paid special attention to the international support for Palestine, noting the role of the Zapatistas, Cuba, Bolivia and Venezuela, Turkey, and the support of the Arab masses who stood solidly to support Gaza and Palestine.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine organized a mass march and memorial event in Dheisheh refugee camp on February 1, 2009, in order to commemorate Al-Hakim. The march, which began from the center of the camp, raised Palestinian flags and PFLP banners, as well as posters of Al-Hakim, as well as banners and chants with slogans denouncing the massacres against our people in Gaza and calling for resistance and national unity. Participants burned Israeli and US flags, condemning the joint US/Israeli massacres against the Palestinian people.

A memorial for Al-Hakim was unveiled in the camp by the father of the martyr Muhammad Abu Aker and a comrade wounded in the first Intifada, Lutfi al-Akhras. Following the unveiling, a cultural festival, attended by many representatives of national institutions and popular organizations and a large crowd of residents of the camp, was held to honor al-Hakim.

Comrade Badran Jaber spoke on behalf of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, recalling the history of the Palestinian struggle and Al-Hakim's political and intellectual leadership on the path of the Palestinian national liberation movement. Comrade Jaber stressed the importance of a unified, democratic and inclusive PLO committed to the achievement of Palestinian national liberation as the representative of the Palestinian people.

Issa Qaraqa, member of the Palestinian Legislative Council spoke, followed by poetry, national songs and debkeh performance in the spirit of resistance.

In Beit Jala, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine held a tribute to Al-Hakim on January 30, 2009, attended by many representatives of Palestinian factions, civil society institutions and popular organizations. The event began with the national anthem and a moment of tribute to the martyrs. Comrade Badran Jaber spoke on behalf of the PFLP, praising the role of the leader and martyr Al-Hakim, and pledged to remain on his path: the march of the Palestinian people in unity towards national liberation.

Comrade Jaber stressed the Palestinian national cause and demands: Palestinian sovereignty and an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital, self-determination and the right to return, pledging to remain on this path and achieve national unity. He greeted Comrade General Secretary Ahmad Sa'adat inside the prisons of the occupiers, and all of the prisoners.