Hamas Opposes Restructuring of the "Palestinian National Council".. Describes the Step as a Violation of Agreements

SadaNews - Hamas announced today, Wednesday, its objection to the Palestinian Authority's announcement to restructure the National Council, stating that this decision is "unilateral and violates the national agreements".

Hassan Badran, a member of Hamas's political bureau, said in a statement, "We are closely following the alarming announcement made by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas regarding his intention to restructure the Palestinian National Council before the end of this year, in a unilateral manner, away from national consensus, and in violation of the national agreements signed by various Palestinian factions".

Badran also described the decision as "unilateral and represents a serious transgression of the national will", indicating that "the Palestinian Authority continues to make fateful decisions without consensus, solidifying the division".

He continued: "We reject this unilateral path, call for the immediate cessation of any unilateral steps, and demand the implementation of what has been agreed upon in national meetings, especially concerning the rebuilding of the Palestinian Liberation Organization's institutions on the basis of partnership".

Last Thursday (July 17), Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decision regarding the restructuring of the National Council before the end of this year according to the electoral system of the Palestinian National Council, with the date to be set by a decision from the head of the Executive Committee.

The decision also stipulated that the council would consist of 350 members, two-thirds from within Palestine, and one-third from Palestinians abroad and in the diaspora, with membership conditioned on the "commitment of the member to the Palestinian Liberation Organization's program and its international obligations and decisions of international legitimacy".

The decision stated that the Executive Committee would issue a decision to form a preparatory committee tasked with making necessary arrangements for conducting the elections, chaired by the president of the Palestinian National Council, Rouhi Fattouh, with participation from the council's presidency office and members of the Executive Committee, representatives of the Palestinian national factions, a number of popular organizations, civil society, and Palestinian communities abroad.

Tasks of the committee will be defined in its formation decision and presented to the head of the Executive Committee within a maximum of two weeks from the date of the decision for approval.