GAZA, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Five Palestinian left-wing parties announced on Thursday that they formed a joint democratic union in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian Democratic Assemblage includes the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Palestinian National Initiative Party, Palestinian People's Party, and Palestinian Democratic Union (FEDA).
Khaled al-Khatib, FEDA deputy chairman, told a news briefing that the formation of the assemblage aims at enlarging the left-wing bodies to attract more supporters of democrats and liberals in the Palestinian territories.
"The assemblage's strategy and program is based on the principle of national and social liberation towards achieving the Palestinian self-determination and independence as well as building up social justice," said al-Khatib.
According to al-Khatib, the assemblage's goal "is to establish the independent Palestinian state with full sovereignty on the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel."
Al-Khatib added that the leaders of the five parties agreed to work together as one group under the umbrella of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinians.
He stressed that the union "will be an instrument of struggle to confront all the current challenges that threaten the Palestinian cause and regain the Palestinian unity under the PLO."
It is the first time that the Palestinian left-wing parties have formed such a unified body since the PLO was found in 1964.
