Roaring PLC's Assembly; Hamas Majority Revokes Previous Decisions Including Constitutional Court Law

2006-03-07

www.ipc.gov.ps/ ipc_new/english/ details.asp?name=14207

GAZA, Palestine, March 7, 2006 (IPC+ Agencies) [Official PA website]- -The newly- elected Legislative Council, in its first session after sworn-in, repealed all the previous decisions taken in the extraordinary session of the outgoing PLC held on 13 February, a thing that sparked Fateh lawmaker's resentment and walked out of the Parliament in a protest.

Hamas- dominated parliament approved with 64 votes in favor, 7 lawmakers abstained, no one against after Fateh lawmakers withdrew the session protesting the vote on revoking the previous PLC decisions as illegal.

The previous Fateh- dominated PLC approved in February's session a slew of decisions including the creation of Constitutional Court Law, which allowed the Presidents Abbas to appoint judges without parliament approval, appointment of Jihad Hamdan as a head of General Personal Council and Farouk Al Efranji head of General Insurance and Pension Commission, appointment of Mahmoud Abu Al Rab, head of head of Finance Comptroller.

In a statement issued after the vote, the Fatah MPs denounced what they called "the violations of the law which have been committed during this session and the manner in which proceedings have been handled" by PLC Speaker Aziz Dweik.

Fateh's lawmakers opposed inserting revoking the previous decisions on the proceedings' agenda on the account that such decisions, were taken in 13 February's session, are legal in terms of basic law which mandated the era of the previous PLC ends once the new PLC swear-in, that took in place on 18 January.

Hams's lawmakers, in their part, deemed the latest session of outgoing PLC, in which a number of decisions were approved, hamper the work of the new parliament and will not be accepted at all.

Among other taken decision by outgoing PLC, according to MP Wael Al Hussini, the creation of PLC secretary General and amendments on the PLC bylaw which gives the secretary general, appointed from Fateh, more authorities than to those given to the PLC Secretary elected by the deputies."

The PLC's deputies of other factions including Hanan Ashrawe " Third Path" and Basam Al Salhe, " alternative (Al Badeel ) list said that the new Parliament has no business with the outgoing PLC as outlined in the Basic law " era of Legislative council ends once new council sworn-in."

On his part, Saab Erekat, Fateh lawmaker, speaking to Deutsche Presse Agentur (DPA) branded the decision "bypass the law and grave breach to the constitution taking stock of the constitutional control of the outgoing PLC and has the mandate to approve such decisions."

"It's a dangerous turning point in the future of internal Palestinian ties," Erekat underlined.

He also asserted "we will address the PLC decision in the court considering its illegality.'

The session was held simultaneously in the West Bank city of Rammallah and in Gaza City, with legislators hooked up by video conference.

Hamas won 74 out of 132 PLC seats in the Jan. 25 parliamentary elections, which means it will have the ability to amend or pass any law except the basic law which need approval by two thirds of the PLC.

At present, 10 Hamas PLC members including its leader in the West Bank Hasan Yousef and four Fatah PLC members including the prominent leader Marwan Barghothee are being held in Israeli prisons. Those MPs detained in Israeli prisons to vote in the PLC.

Source: IMRA – Independent Media Review and Analysis