The Israeli Communist Forum greets the Arab population in Israel, all those who support peace, equality and democracy, the Jewish democratic forces and all participants in the rallies, events and demonstrations of Land Day.

This important date marks a day of protest and struggle against the established practice of discrimination, which the Palestinian population suffers for more than half a century; against the robbery and confiscation of lands from their rightful owners; against chauvinism and racism, against all those who deny equal rights to the Arab citizens of Israel.

During the past fifty years the Arab Palestinian population in the State of Israel waged its struggle against discrimination and for equality, in cooperation with the Jewish democratic and progressive forces, and did gain some highly significant achievements. Nevertheless, the discriminatory policies of all Israeli governments did not come to an end; they are still being pursued by the present government, the one headed by Barak. Specifically, the government has so far failed to carry out any of the obligations it solemnly undertook several months ago at the conclusion of the prolonged sit-in strike by the Arab mayors. As will be remembered, previous to the issuing of these promises the Arab mayors and Knesset Members had spent several months at a tent outside the government offices in Jerusalem, during which time they and their grassroots supporters were on several occasions the target of unprecedented brutal attacks by the police.

While the promises to address the Arab population's grievances and aspirations remain unfulfilled, the leaders of the right wing keep up their continuous racist and anti-democratic campaign aimed at making the Arab population and its leadership illegitimate - this campaign being occasionally joined by Labor Knesset Members and also by Barak's Foreign Minister, David Levy.

On Land Day we demand an immediate and complete end to this campaign against the Arab population and its leadership. The Arab citizens of Israel have the full right to participate, on equal terms, in the political debates of this country and to express their opinions - those of the full spectrum of political forces active among them - in all pertinent and controversial issues on the Israeli agenda.

We demand that the police and security forces cease their brutal attacks upon protest actions waged by Arab citizens of Israel and their leadership.

We demand that the Barak Government fulfills all the obligations it took towards the Arab Population, and that it transfers with no further delay the development budgets to which it committed itself as part of these obligations.

We demand the immediate abolition of all plans for further land confiscations at the Wadi Ara region, as well as in the Galilee, the Negev and anywhere else.

We demand an immediate end to the demolition of Arab houses, including the cancellation of the recently issued demolition orders against houses in Umm El Fahm and in other towns and villages.

We demand an immediate recognition by the government of all "unrecognized villages" and the provision to them of the hitherto-denied water, electricity, health, education and all other services and facilities, on equal footing with other communities.

We call upon all those involved in the struggle to maintain and increase their efforts, until a comprehensive change is effected in the policies towards the Arab population, and its discrimination is completely eradicated.

We call upon the Barak Government to stop placing obstacles in the ongoing negotiations, both those with the Palestinians and the ones with Syria and Lebanon, to carry out all its treaty obligations and to effect a fundamental change in its policies. The only solution is a just and comprehensive peace, which can only be achieved by Israeli withdrawal from all Arab territories occupied since June 1967 and the creation of an independent Palestinian state side-by-side with the State of Israel, with its territory embracing the whole of the West Bank and Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem serving as its capital.