Dialogue session by MIFTAH on ways to reactivate GUPS
By MIFTAH
December 12, 2019

Ramallah – MIFTAH recently led a dialogue session on ways to reactivate the General Union of Palestine Students (GUPS) which included representatives from Palestinian factions and parties within the PLO, the Popular Mobilization Department and the GUPS Executive Committee. The meeting addressed all of the challenges hindering the convention of the GUPS General Conference.

Secretary of the GUPS Executive Committee, Mahmoud Habeel outlined the steps taken by the committee in order to convene the 11th General Conference, in addition to their efforts to communicate with the Union’s branches abroad and maintain the democratic mode of operation within them in spite of the obstacles and challenges due to the specifics of each GUPS branch. He stressed on the role of the committee in preserving the representation of the political makeup of leadership bodies in GUPS branches in the Diaspora.

The meeting included presentations from party and faction representatives, most of who confirmed that GUPS is one of the original and most effective elements within the history of the Palestinian struggle against the Israeli occupation. They said it was imperative on Palestinian parties and factions to assume the task of reviving GUPS as quickly as possible in order to set the stage for holding the General Conference and to overcome any obstacles preventing its convention.

The participants agreed that the next session should include the vision of each faction or party on the methods and tools needed to revive GUPS so that they could produce and then adopt one unified vision on holding the General Conference. Furthermore, they said proposals would be developed on the representation of Palestinian universities at the General Conference.

MIFTAH project coordinator Hassan Mahareeq said the meeting is part of MIFTAH’s “Youth Empowerment Program”, saying the dialogue sessions are part of MIFTAH’s role in coordinating and communicating with the relevant parties to ensure the political representation of youth within the PLO. He continued that GUPS is considered one of the most important national platforms for youth within the PLO through which MIFTAH seeks to create a real representation for Palestinian youth, whether within the leadership of factions and parties, in the Palestinian political system and the PLO. Mahareeq also said the meeting falls within the scope of MIFTAH’s support for national efforts to renew unions and popular bodies within the PLO to allow sufficient space for integrating youth in the democratic transition to decision-making centers, to renew legitimacy and return to grassroots for mobilization.

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