Right of Return is Sacred and Unalienable: Arafat

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat stressed on Monday the Palestinian refugees' right of return is sacred and unalienable.

In his message to the National Conference on Refugees' Right of Return held by the Palestinian people's committees on refugees here, Arafat said "Our people insist on the implementation of the resolution on the right of return which is sacred and unalienable."

The message was read out by Palestinian Minister of Finance Mohammed Zohdi Nashashibi at the meeting.

The Palestinian people "vowed to carry on their struggle in order to liberate all the occupied territories including Jerusalem and al-Aqsa Mosque, and restore all national rights on top of which is the refugees' sacred and unalienable right of return," the message said.

U.S. President Bill Clinton suggested recently that the Palestinians give up the refugees' right of return in exchange for Israel's transfer of sovereignty over al-Haram al-Sharif or Noble Sanctuary, known to Jews as the Temple Mount.

The proposal has been rejected by the Palestinians as favoring Israel.






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