RAMALLAH, August 1, 2026 (WAFA) – The Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), chaired by Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh, met on Saturday to discuss the latest political and field developments in the occupied Palestinian Territory and to adopt decisions aimed at safeguarding the rights of the Palestinian people and strengthening their steadfastness on their land.

The committee warned of the dangerous escalation in the occupied Palestinian Territory resulting from Israel's continued colonial expansion and the escalating violence of Israeli colonists, carried out with the support and protection of the Israeli occupation authorities against Palestinian cities, villages, and refugee camps.

It stressed the need for the international community to adopt a firm and effective stance against Israel's escalating colonization of the occupied Palestinian Territory, emphasizing that such activities constitute a clear violation of international law and relevant international resolutions, particularly UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which reaffirmed the illegality of Israeli colonial settlements.

The committee further called on the international community to compel Israel to end colonist violence and acts of indiscriminate terror, while urging the United Nations and other international institutions to provide urgent international protection for the Palestinian people and take immediate action to halt policies of ethnic cleansing and forced displacement.

The Executive Committee commended the steadfastness and resilience of the Palestinian people in remaining on their land despite the ongoing crimes committed by Israeli occupation forces and colonists.

It reaffirmed the right of Palestinians in cities, towns, villages, and refugee camps to defend themselves, their land, and their property through peaceful popular resistance, and called for the provision of the necessary support and resources to reinforce their steadfastness and resilience.

The Executive Committee welcomed the announcement of an agreement to implement the second phase of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, stressing the importance of the full implementation of this phase to ensure a permanent end to the war, alleviate the humanitarian suffering of the Palestinian people, and secure the complete withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from the Gaza Strip.

The Executive Committee expressed its deep appreciation for the tireless efforts of international and regional partners, foremost among them the Arab Republic of Egypt, the State of Qatar, the Republic of Türkiye, the United States, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

It also commended the generous humanitarian and relief assistance provided by all brotherly and friendly countries, which has helped alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people.

The committee stressed the importance of all parties' commitment to implementing the comprehensive peace plan in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2803, which requires a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, ensuring the uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid, supporting recovery and reconstruction efforts without obstruction, and enabling the State of Palestine to fully assume its national, administrative, and security responsibilities in the Strip as an integral part of the territory of the State of Palestine, while preserving the unity of occupied Palestinian Territory and laws as a fundamental pillar for achieving lasting stability.

It affirmed that the agreement should mark the beginning of a serious political process leading to an end to the Israeli occupation and guaranteeing the Palestinian people's right to self-determination through the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the two-state solution and relevant international resolutions.

It further stressed that such a process would pave the way for broader regional cooperation that enhances stability, peace, and security for all in the region.

In this context, Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa briefed the committee on the government’s continued efforts, despite the financial difficulties it faces, to support the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip across various sectors, particularly education and health. He noted that these efforts have continued through the allocation of five billion shekels over the past two years in salaries and financial assistance for tens of thousands of doctors, teachers, and public employees, as well as through the organization of secondary school (Tawjihi) examinations and efforts to enable thousands of students to graduate despite the most challenging conditions.

As part of efforts to support the early recovery program, the State of Palestine led an international donors’ conference in Brussels two weeks earlier, which secured $1 billion for the program’s first phase, the prime minister highlighted. He noted that all donors reaffirmed the unity of Palestinian representation, territory, and laws, and recognized that developments in the Gaza Strip form part of the process of building the Palestinian state.

In this regard, the prime minister expressed his deep appreciation to all brotherly and friendly donor partners and international organizations that have continued to provide humanitarian assistance and support the Palestinian national reform and state-building program.

Regarding the elections file, the Executive Committee reaffirmed its firm and clear commitment to the democratic option as a national and political necessity for building and developing state institutions and achieving national partnership.

It affirmed the State of Palestine’s commitment to holding legislative elections and Palestinian National Council elections to reactivate and develop the frameworks of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, paving the way for presidential elections.

The committee also reviewed the legal aspects and issues related to the electoral process to ensure the successful conduct of the elections and overcome any legal obstacles that may hinder their completion.

The Executive Committee stressed that the success of the electoral process requires the creation of an inclusive national environment conducive to advancing the process. It emphasized that comprehensive national dialogue among all Palestinian political forces, factions, and components of Palestinian society constitutes the cornerstone for creating the necessary conditions for successful elections, ensuring broad popular and political participation, and consolidating national unity to confront the challenges and schemes targeting the Palestinian cause.

T.R.