Several members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) and prominent Palestinian academics and personalities issued a statement on 27/11/1999 condemning and criticizing the performance of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and the failure of the Oslo Agreement to secure minimum Palestinian rights and demands. This statement, which was officially outlined in the so-called "declaration of 20," has been subject to an uncompromising and harsh reaction by the PNA.

First, the PNA accused the signatories of the declaration of incitement against the Palestinian leadership, arrested some of its participants, and placed others under house arrest. Second, it is suspected that Thursday's attack against one of the signatories of the declaration was carried out by members of the Palestinian security forces, in an attempt to "intimidate" supporters of the declaration and other potential critics of the PNA. And third, the PLC was urged by the Palestinian leadership to revoke parliamentary immunity from members who signed the declaration, in order to carry out and justify their detention.

Such measures have raised several questions regarding the conduct of the PNA and the applicability of democratic governance in Palestinian society, and have, in turn, constituted an assault against the Palestinian people's right to freedom of expression and a violation of the civil rights of "all" Palestinians.

The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH), by virtue of its commitment to fostering the principles of democracy, participatory governance, the rule of law, and human rights in Palestinian society, calls for the immediate release of the detainees, the investigation into the attack against one of the declaration's signatories, and, most importantly, the promotion and implementation of democratic principles and governance by the PNA.

The PNA must neither present the criticism of the declaration as an act of disloyalty to the current leadership, nor as an externally motivated conspiracy; rather, it should initiate an open and direct national dialogue to address the issues raised in the declaration and, most urgently, the issue of accountability.