GAZA, March 13, 2017 (WAFA) – A Gaza-based rights group warned on Monday against plans by the de facto power in Gaza, Hamas, to form a committee to administer the Gaza Strip, saying such a move could harm unity efforts.
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) said in a statement that new revelations that Hamas legislators in Gaza, the Change and Reform Bloc, have quietly passed a law in August of last year regarding forming an administrative committee to run Gaza affairs had sent a wave of concern that such a move could lead to complete separation of the Gaza Strip.
Hamas lawmaker and member of its politburo, Salah Bardawil, told the media on Sunday that the Hamas legislators in the Palestinian Legislative Council “intend to find an administrative formula that fits with the Gaza Strip’s current situation.”
PCHR said its own investigations revealed that the Change and Reform Bloc in the Gaza Strip approved in a second reading in August the law of “Governmental Administrative Committee.” The law was supposed to be published in the next day, but it was not for unknown reasons, it said.
According to Article (2) of the law, said PCHR, the Administrative Committee is comprised of six members; one of whom is the representative of the Finance Ministry who is also the head of the committee. The other members represent the General Secretariat of the Cabinet and the ministries of Interior and National Security, Education, Health and National Economy.
Even though a Palestinian unity government was formed two years ago to rule in both the Gaza Strip and West Bank, it “did not assume its responsibilities in the Gaza Strip due to the disagreements between the two parties (Fatah and Hamas) on some of the reconciliation issues,” said PCHR.
It warned that forming the Administrative Committee is considered a setback for the reconciliation efforts as it institutionalizes the division and paves the way for totally separating the Gaza Strip and serving only Israeli interests.
It called on the Palestinian political factions and people to refuse any project that would contribute to separating the Gaza Strip or augmenting the division.
M.K.
