The Constitution Drafting Committee for the Transition from Authority to State Holds Its First Meeting

SadaNews - The Constitution Drafting Committee for the Transition from Authority to State held its first meeting chaired by the head of the committee, Mohammad Al-Haj Qassem, along with all committee members, following President Mahmoud Abbas's decree to form the committee last week.

The committee confirmed that drafting the Constitution of Palestine is based on the national requirements of the upcoming phase, contributing to the embodiment of the independent Palestinian state. This step represents a supreme national and constitutional task aimed at preparing a draft Constitution for the State of Palestine, which will be one of the prominent milestones of the Palestinian political struggle in the current phase.

The committee stated that the Palestinian people are experiencing a historic and pivotal stage, and that the Palestinian National Authority, which was established as a transitional phase, was supposed to end in 1999. The formation of this committee aligns with the national requirements that necessitate the transition from authority to the embodiment of an independent Palestinian state.

Moreover, the committee's tasks involve drafting a new Constitution for the independent State of Palestine, establishing a modern democratic system based on the rule of law, separation of powers, and ensuring public rights and freedoms. This is in accordance with the Declaration of Independence, principles of international law, international legitimacy, and international human rights treaties, aiming to lay the constitutional foundations for a democratic governance system and promoting peaceful transfer of power. It has commenced its duties and responsibilities according to the provisions of the decree.

The committee further noted that, based on the decree, the content of the Constitution's provisions will be determined and agreed upon concerning its political, religious, social, economic, financial, judicial, and legal aspects, among others. It will engage in consultations and dialogues with various political and party levels both within the state and in the diaspora regarding the content of the provisions that the Constitution will include, particularly issues related to the nature of the political system, rights, freedoms, and the state's administrative organization, aiming to achieve political consensus and facilitate the drafting of the Constitution project.

The committee discussed the mechanisms for initiating the drafting of the Constitution draft within a specific timeframe and opening dialogue with components of Palestinian society to ensure the broadest participation in drafting the articles of the Constitution, relying on principles of democracy, rule of law, and human rights, and setting mechanisms to ensure the separation of executive, legislative, and judicial powers.

The committee formed a committee to approve its internal regulations governing its work, as well as specialized committees composed of experts and specialists in all fields, indicating that it will build upon previous draft proposals provided by earlier committees and expressed gratitude to these distinguished legal and constitutional figures.

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