The Palestinian National Emergency Forum in Istanbul discussed national representation for Palestinians and ways to strengthen political participation inside Palestine and in the diaspora.
The forum was organized at the invitation of the National Committee for Palestinian Popular Studies, in cooperation with the Conference of Palestinians in Türkiye, and brought together participants from Palestine and the diaspora. In a statement released by the participants, they said that 350 Palestinian figures from more than 30 countries attended the meeting in person and online.
Call to strengthen representative institutions
The statement said that the role of the Palestine Liberation Organization and its representative institutions should be strengthened. It called for mechanisms to be developed to enable broader participation in the process of choosing Palestinian representatives.
Participants called for free, direct and democratic elections to choose members of the Palestinian National Council. The statement argued that such a process would strengthen the legitimacy of national institutions.
Proposal for a committee for the election process
The statement opposed exclusion, marginalization and selective appointment in representing the Palestinian people, and called for mechanisms based on participation and transparency.
Participants also proposed establishing a committee with experience and expertise to oversee the election of members of the Palestinian National Council. They also called for a regular project to register Palestinians living inside Palestine and in the diaspora, thereby creating a national register of the electorate.
The Palestinian National Council is described as the highest legislative and representative body for all Palestinians; the council represents Palestinians inside and outside Palestine.
