On March 31^st, the Public Relations Department at An-Najah National University, in cooperation with the Students’ Union Council and the Ministry of Information-Nablus Office, organized a political seminar about the regional changes in the Arab world and their impact on the Palestinian cause. Attendees included: Prof. Maher Abu Eid, An-Najah Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Muhammad Shtayyeh, member of the Central Committee in Fateh political party, Dr. Ahmed Tibi, member in the Knesset, in addition to a number of students and others.

At the start of the seminar, Dr. Majed Kittaneh, Director of the Nablus Office, welcomed Dr. Tibi and Dr. Shtayyeh and valued their interest to share their thoughts with An-Najah staff and students regarding the current political situations and changes in the Arab world and their impact on the Palestinian cause.

During the seminar, Dr. Tibi spoke about the Earth Day anniversary which is celebrated each year on the 30^th of March. Dr. Tibi described this Day as a unique and special one to the Palestinians wherever they are since the Palestinian land is the most precious thing to them. He added that the Israelis are determined to continue to take over this land and confiscate as much areas as they can.

Moreover, he spoke about the many Israeli laws that prohibit the Palestinians who live inside Israel from owning the land and said that the Palestinians of the 1948 possess only 3% of the land there. Commenting on the current situation in the Arab world, Dr. Tibi said the revolutions that are currently taking place there are revolutions of the people who are trying to make a change and achieve freedom.

On the Palestinian level, Dr. Tibi stressed the necessity to start immediately strengthening the Palestinian society and settle all disputes between the different political parties through achieving the national reconciliation.

Dr. Shtayyeh on his part said that the demonstrations and revolutions taking place in the Arab world today are pushed by the people’s desire to eliminate poverty and unemployment and said that he supports those movements. He also spoke about the situation in Egypt after overthrowing the former president, Muhammad Hosni Mubarak. Dr. Shtayyeh explained that Egypt is of great importance to the Palestinians since it was and still one of the main supporters of the Palestinian cause; he said that Egypt is linked to this cause with respect to a number of issues that are considered key to the Palestinians including the Palestinian national reconciliation file, the negotiations with the Israelis, as well as the issue of Rafah passage on the Egyptian-Palestinian borders.

Moreover, Dr. Shtayyeh spoke about the peace process that was launched with Israel in 1991 which yielded no official agreements to date. He also spoke about the different aspects of the Palestinian life that is dominated by the Israelis who try to eliminate the Palestinian culture and heritage.