The Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network (PNGO) condemns, in the strongest terms, the heinous crime committed by an armed group in Sinai on Sunday, 05 August 2012, the result of which 16 Egyptian soldiers were killed and others were wounded.

PNGO extendsits condolences to the Egyptian people, the victims’ families and Egypt’s army.  We, as PCBOs, express our full solidarity with Egypt at the both leadership and individual levels, and:

1. Highlights the strategic relations between the Palestinian and Egyptian people;

2. Stress that this heinous crime strategically undermines the Palestinian cause and harms the Palestinian people;

3. Confirms that the first beneficiary of this crime and its ramifications is the Israeli occupation;

4. Callsfor directing media to contribute to contain the crisis and not to be involved in the incitement campaign against the whole Palestinian people, even before the crime’s circumstances after investigations are finished; and

5. Calls upon concerned parties tospeed up the investigations and reveal the crime’s circumstances and perpetrators’ identities, in addition to those who pushed them to commit this crime.  We call for the prosecution of these individuals in way that fits the extremity of the crime.

PNGO signatures:

Medical Relief Society, Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, Gaza
Mental Health Program, al-Mostaqbal Charitable Society, al-Wafa’ Charitable
Society, Abna’ona Development Society, al-Najdah Association, Union of Health
Work Committees, Gaza Center for Culture and Arts, Al Mezan Center for Human
Rights, ForsanAlghad Association, Jabalia Rehabilitation Society, Palestinian
Association for Development and Reconstruction (Bader), al-Sater al-GharbiAssociation
for the Development of RuralAreas and Farms, Khoza’a Center for Sustainable
Agriculture, Women’s Center for Research and Legal Advice, Science and Culture
Center, Union of Agricultural Work Committees, Women’s Affairs Center, Arab
Center for Agricultural Development, GhassanKanafani Development Association, al-Taghreed
Society for Culture and Arts, al-Wedad Society for Community Rehabilitation,
Beit al-Mostaqbal Association, Central Blood Bank Society, Red Crescent Society
for the Gaza Strip, National Society for Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons,
Community Media Center, Baitona for Community Development, Al Ataa’ Charitable
Society, Educational Guidance Center, Palestinian Working Woman Society for
Development, Palestinian Institute for Communication and Development, Palestinian
Farmers Association, Hadaf Center for Human Rights, Palestinian Hydrology Group,
Agricultural Relief Society, MasaratCenter for Research Studies, Association of
Female Graduates, Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children, Culture and Free Thought
Association, Al-Insan Society for Development, al-Fokhari Association for Rural
Development, Palestinian JournalistsForum, Union of Health Care Committees, Youth
Cultural Forum, Labor StudiesCenter, Liberties Center, Federation of Women’s
Action Committee, Refugee Center for Community Development, Palestinian Center for
Organic Agriculture, General Union of Cultural Centers, Tamer Institution for
Community Education, Association of Agriculture Rehabilitation and Environment
Preservation, Palestinian Farmers Union, Association of Agricultural Guidance
and Raising Awareness, Center of Development Work, al-Haq for Human Rights,
Palestinian Youth Union, Muwatin – The Palestinian Institute for the Study of
Democracy, Al-Quds Center for Legal Aid, Land Research Center, Rural Women
Development Association, Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association –
Addameer, Women’s Affairs Technical Committee, the Public Service Association,
the Center for Democracy and Workers Rights, the National Association of
Democracy and Law, al-Tadamun Charitable Association, New Horizons Association,
the Cultural Association for the Protection of Heritage, the Civil Association
for the Development of Dates,  the
Palestinian Commission for Development and Culture, the Palestinian Women’s
Union, al-Karama Medical Compound Association, al-Maghazi Cultural Center, Dar al-Shaba
Association for Culture and Development, Binaa Association for Development and
Empowerment, Basma Association for Culture and Development, GhassanKanafani
Development Association, Youth Development Association, Gaza Society for
Culture and Development, al-Zahraa Association for the Development of Women and
Children, Deir al-Balah Cultural and Social Center, al-Um Development
Charitable Association, the Green Planes Association, the Happy Home
Association for the Provision of Care to Women and Children, the Union of
Palestinian Women Committees, al-Nahda Charitable Association, Rou’ya
Association for Capacity Development, Arabs’ Knight Association for Development
and Charitable Works, Abna’una Development Association, Jana Association for
Community Development, Rou’yaShababiya Association, Union of Cultural Centers,
The Association for Worker’s Development and Researches, the North Association
for Community Development, al-Najda Palestinian Association, Jabalia
Development Association, al-Anqaa Association for Community Development, Rou’ya
Association for Capacity Development, Gaza Center for Culture and Arts, Ibhar
Thought Creation Forum, Fajr Association for Relief and Development, Asala
Commission for Popular Heritage, Ajyal Creation and Development Association,
the Association of Culture, Arts and Popular Heritage, the Palestinian
Friendship Center, Deir al-Balah Cultural Center, al-Manal Association for the
Development of Rural Women, Union of Rural Centers, the Palestinian Bar
Association.

• PNGO includes 132 members, including civil society organizations in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including Jerusalem.
• The Union of Cultural Centers includes 52 members.