RAMALLAH, August 13, 2018 (WAFA) – Transforming the Palestinian Authority from the phase of an authority to a state is the most prominent subject that will be discussed by the Palestinian Central Council (PCC), the second highest authority after the National Council, when it meets in Ramallah on Wednesday, Palestinian officials said on Monday.
The PCC meeting is being held under exceptional circumstances in light of the US-Israeli efforts to liquidate the Palestinian cause through their rejected "Deal of the Century", the ongoing Israeli measures aimed at Judaizing the land through settlements and ending the two-state solution, in addition to the division that is hurting national unity.
Mohammad Sbeih, secretary of the Palestinian National Council (PNC), told WAFA that all 145 members of the PCC from all national factions have been invited to the meeting, including members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, in addition to members of various labor and trade s.
He said the meeting, which will be held on Wednesday and Thursday at the presidential headquarters, includes on its agenda a number of important points, the most important one is a discussion of the mechanism for the transition from authority to the stage of state, particularly since the issue of the State was resolved at the United Nations General Assembly in 2012 when Palestine was recognized as a non-member state with full rights as other member states and opened the way for its participation in all organizations and international bodies.
"We are suffering from the occupation. In all of our meetings, we discuss how to establish the Palestinian state on the ground and how to get rid of the occupation. We need to continue working to get rid of the occupation and move from authority to state,” said Sbeih.
He pointed out that what is being said in the street and on social media is nothing more than plan talk. “The leadership is now getting ready to meet and this topic is on its agenda for discussion. Any talk about dissolving the Palestinian Authority is nothing more than social media words that we do not pay any attention for,” he said.
On the other topics to be discussed, Sbeih explained that the meeting will follow up on the implementation of the resolutions of the National Council issued in its last session held in April in Ramallah, in addition to discussing ways to move on the international level in light of the absence of a horizon for a settlement after the recent US administration’s decisions, the most important of which is the transfer of the US embassy to Jerusalem and the attempt to reduce the number of Palestinian refugees.
He stressed that the American position is on the table at the meeting of the Central Council.
For his part, member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization Ahmad Majdalani said that securing the transition from the stage of the national authority to the state is one of the main topics on the agenda of the Central Council.
"We have taken more than one decision to end the transitional phase and today we put practical and concrete mechanisms for the transition to state institutions and the establishment of an effective authority at the security, administrative and economic levels," he said.
“A number of concrete actions and steps for this phase require serious treatment in the transition from a transitional authority to the State. What is now required is to change the nature of the national authority,” said Majdalani.
He pointed out that the process will be procedural and transitional and will not come in a single step. “It is a difficult and complex process and will not only depend on our decision, but on the Israeli side as well, which is entrenched on the ground,” he said.
Majdalani said that the Executive Committee is well prepared for the Central Council meeting, and will submit a comprehensive report on all the issues on the table. In addition, President Mahmoud Abbas with give an important speech at the opening of the meeting which will talk about the political, legal and diplomatic tracks for the next stage.
M.K.
