The ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict is not a religious issue but a security one which can only be resolved through peace negotiations, said two Palestinian activists who are here to speak at a forum Saturday, about their people's struggle.

"There are four million Palestinian refugees and if we were to set up a country of our own, they will come back and the population of Palestine will be more than that of Israel," said Raed Abed, an exco member of General Unions of Palestine Students (GUPS).

"We understand what the Israelis are worried about but we believe that we can compromise in finding the solutions," he added during an interview with malaysiakini in Kuala Lumpur today.

He said the Palestinian government is equally concerned about the refugee problems because it will be very difficult to provide them with job opportunities.

"One suggestion was that Palestinians outside will be given citizenship in the different countries that they have already settled down in," he said.

Israel currently has a population of 5.8 million while there are 2.8 million Palestinians staying in parts of West Bank and Gaza Strip controlled by the latter.

In 1990, the Oslo Peace Treaty was signed by both sides but difficult issues such as the status of Jerusalem, refugees and borders remained unsolved.

Clashes between the two broke out in Sept 2000 when the Palestinians launched their second intifada (uprising), followed by the military aggression by Israeli troops in the areas.

Saudi Arabia has put forward proposals for peace which call for the establishment of a Palestinian state with its capital in East Jerusalem and Israel to withdraw from territory occupied in 1967 in return for full security guarantees, trade and diplomatic relations.

The proposals have not swayed Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon into halting the violence and reviving the peace process.

Cease-fire tricky

However, Raed said even with negotiations revived in the future, the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and other Islamist groups would also continue to demonstrate against the 'Israeli invasion'.

"There are more than 500 checkpoints in Gaza Strip and West Bank now. Students can't go to schools and universities and so the last semester was cancelled. Though the curfew was lifted, cars are not allowed and we can only walk.

"We must continue to fight against this. We don't want to sit and wait for many years while they never implement anything that was agreed on in the treaty," he said.

Speaking with Raed at Saturday's forum is Lubna Bashir Barghouti who is working for the Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees

Lubna said that her organisation still believes in negotiations to resolve the Middle-East conflict.

"We don't want any bloodshed and violence. The Palestinians are ready to go for negotiations but the Israelis seem not prepared," she said.

Asked if the reluctance of both sides to cease fire was an obstacle to negotiation, she replied, "Cease-fire is a tricky thing. We (Palestinians) have no tanks, military facilities, airplanes and soldiers. If you have two parties of equal military strength fighting, then there could be a cease-fire."

She said suicide bombers were not weapons of the Palestinians as the attackers were merely trying to express their point of view and were usually those who had been humiliated by Israeli forces previously.

Lubna said her medical relief team had encountered much difficulties in carrying out their duties due to the heavy presence of Israeli troops.

Ambulances checked

"Four of our offices were bombed by tank missiles. Our movement is restricted and we may get arrested anytime. Once I was arrested and taken to a building that the Israeli troops had occupied and was kept there for hours before they let me go.

"It is very tiring. There is not one day which passes without us being stopped for at least five times at various checkpoints," she said.

She said their ambulances were also often suspected of carrying bombs and were stopped for checks, which resulted in a delay of medical treatment for those in need in many cases.

One example was Aisha Ali Hasan, a patient who needed kidney dialysis three times a week. Aisha died in May when the Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint refused to let her pass through to get to a hospital.

Raed said both he and Lubna are optimistic that the Israel-Palestine conflict would come to an end.

"The Palestinians have sent out an important message to Israel, that is there will be no security for them if we are denied our rights and freedom to live in peace with one another. We are not against the Israelis but the occupation of our lands," he said.

The Saturday forum called "Solidarity towards peace and liberation in Palestine" is organised by Malaysia Youth and Students Democratic Movement (Dema) at Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall in Kuala Lumpur from 9am to 2pm. Admission is free.