International Arab symposium of support for Palestinian prisoners: “Algeria is quite able to foster inter-Palestinian reconciliation”
Several former Palestinian prisoners detained in Israeli jails have threatened to quit the Algiers International Arab symposium of support for Palestinian prisoners on account of what they called the flouting of their legitimate right to take the floor by the organizers of this symposium.
- The opening speech by the FLN Secretary General Abdellaziz Belkhadem was interrupted by the jeers and heckling by the protesters several times.
- The disgruntled protesters argued that they had the right by virtue of their status of former prisoners in Israeli jails to air their views and speak out like the other participants who are scheduled to take the floor during this get-together.
- A spokesman for these Palestinian protesters castigated the organizers of this symposium saying that many of them had been left in the lurch inside the conference hall with no chairs and no consideration.
- He also indicated that several them had been totally neglected and pushed aside by the organizers of this symposium who didn’t even helped them in paying the high costs of the air transport to the Algerian capital from Palestine, Jordan and Syria.
- An official in charge of the organization of this symposium discounted the protesters’ claims as isolated and baseless saying the reported row was the result of factional dissensions.