Washington, DC Area Declaration
November 11, 2007

“. . . revitalizing our grassroots activism, speaking confidently for ourselves, and maximizing our potential as the agents of change in our collective struggle for justice, return, and liberation.” - From the Detroit Declaration - June 25, 2006

The U.S. Popular Palestinian Conference Network’s (USPCN) fourth meeting was held in the Washington, DC Area the weekend of November 9-11, 2007. The planning meeting was attended by more than 50 activists, organizers and community members from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, DC and Wisconsin and included a growing number of women and young people. Previous meetings were held in Detroit, Cleveland, and Chicago.

The Coordinating Committee resigned from their positions on the meeting’s opening night, nominations were made the second day, and elections were held on the final day of the meeting. The current Coordinating Committee is made up of eleven individuals; six returing and five new.

Fully aware of and acknowledging the weight of this critical historical junction, the meeting participants affirmed the following:

1. We emphasize our unity as a Palestinian people, the indivisibility of our cause and our collective responsibility and accountability to each other. Palestinians in the United States must be responsible for organizing themselves. We recognize that our history as Palestinians is intertwined with the history of the Arab people. Therefore we welcome our Arab sisters and brothers to help us accomplish this important task. We will also build working relationships with all who join us in solidarity, especially oppressed minorities and people of color.
2. As politicians and diplomats engage in present and future negotiations, including Annapolis, we remind all that no peace can be legitimate or enduring without full implementation of our inalienable rights, including self-determination and the right of return.
3. We reiterate our support for the Palestinian Civil Society Call to Action of 2005, which called for Boycotts, Divestments, and Sanctions along the same lines that proved effective internationally against apartheid South Africa.
4. We express grave concern and call for an immediate lifting of the brutal and illegal siege of Gaza. We are also concerned about the acute suffering of Palestinian communities and their brethren in Iraq, Lebanon, and elsewhere. We urge all people of conscience to contact U.S. politicians, the media, the United Nations and other decision makers to effect corrective actions and to end any and all support for these and other war crimes and crimes against humanity.

We approach the 60th anniversary of the Nakba, the major catastrophic ethnic cleansing of Palestine, with humility and determination to act. We urge all Palestinians and all supporters to join us and the many organizations that have called for a year of commemoration and action starting with November 29th, the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. Key dates will be recognized with actions, education, and fundraising, including March 30th (Land Day), April 9th (Deir Yassin), May 15th (Nakba), June 5th (Naksa) and September 16th (Sabra and Shatila) . A national day of commemoration is planned for May in front of the United Nations in New York. We urge all to renew and intensify involvement, activism, and advocacy in this pivotal year. We must collectively assert that 60 years of colonization and occupation is enough.