Memorandum Presented to US Envoy Richard Murphy

by a Delegation of West Bank Mayors

Jerusalem, Palestine, Apr. 16, 1985

Mr. Richard Murphy, Assistant Secretary of State for Middle East Affairs:

The American Administration has made a habit of sending official and

unofficial envoys to the Middle East on missions which may be described at

times as fact-finding, and at others as either turning the wheels or obstructing

the chances for peace. This administration has also made a habit of asking our

representatives in the Middle East and in the occupied Arab territories in

particular, to set up meetings with individuals from Jerusalem, the West Bank

and Gaza in order to hear their views as representatives of Palestinian popular

opinion in the occupied Arab territories. We have generally met with these

envoys, discussed our people's point of view and asked that they convey our

thoughts to the American administration, the White House, the Department of

State and other agencies.

Despite all these meetings, we see no change in US policy, for the

American administration continues to refuse to recognize our people's right to

self-determination and refuses to talk with the PLO, which our people have, on

every occasion, declared to be their sole legitimate representative and which

alone has the right to speak in their name.

US persistence in this stance will not serve its interests in the Middle

East: it will have negative repurcussions, not only for the people of the

region but also for Western and American interests in the region. The time has

come for the US to reevaluate its former policies and commitments toward the

other side, especially those which are no longer of practical value. Therefore,

we submit in writing the following facts and request that you forward them to

your country's leaders, foremost among them President Ronald Reagan.

First: The people in the occupied territories are a part of the

Palestinian people--a third of whom live here and two-thirds of whom live in

the diaspora. Any solution to the Palestinian problem must deal with it in its

entirety and not just with the residents of the occupied territories.

Second: The Palestinian problem is a national political problem which

takes the form of the determination of the Palestinian people to realize their

national rights, foremost among them, the right to self-determination, the

right to establish an independent state on their national territory and the

right to choose who represents them without coercion and without tutelage.

Third: Our people have confirmed on more than one occasion both inside and

outside the occupied territories that they have chosen the Palestine Liberation

Organization as their sole legitimate representative and they consider this

choice the exercise of one of their basic rights.

Fourth: Direct interaction and dicussion with the PLO alone will put the

process on track and open the way for the achievement of peace.

Fifth: We support without reservation the stance of the PLO under the

leadership of Yasir Arafat and we ask that you deal with ther PLO in matters

relating to the Palestinian issue.

Sixth: We ask the American administration to act immediately to set limits

on Israeli practices in the occupied territories, especially in matters

relating to settlements, land expropriation, human rights violations and

attempts to crush the national spirit of our young generation.

We hope you will convey our views to your administration.

Signed: Rashad al-Shawa, Anwar al-Khatib, Anwar Nusaybah, Hikmat al-Masri,

Illiyas Furayj and Mustafa al-Natshah.