Elections for a new Palestinian National Council (PNC) will be held before the end of the year, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced in a meeting with the PLO’s Executive Committee on Saturday.
Abbas’s decision aims to “bolster the international push to recognize the State of Palestine,” according to Palestinian officials, marking an important step toward a necessary shift in the development of the Palestinian Liberation Organization.
The new council will comprise a total of 350 members: 200 representatives from the West Bank, Gaza, and Jerusalem, and 150 from outside Israel, in order to create a balanced council that accurately represents the population it is meant to govern.
Participation in the election will require candidates to “commit to the PLO’s political platform, its international obligations, and UN resolutions,” stated the official Palestinian news agency WAFA.
Officials stated that the committee will organize elections for 233 members of the National Council residing in Israel. At the same time, those outside the country will be elected in accordance with the Palestinian communities abroad, with elections held at Palestinian embassies.
The Committee emphasized the necessity for political and diplomatic action to address Israel’s aggressive actions against Palestinians, as well as the Israeli government’s withholding of funds belonging to the Palestinian Authority in an attempt to “push the PA toward collapse.”
They demand that the United States and France pressure Israel for the immediate release of these funds.
Regarding Israeli lawsuits filed against the PLO, a special committee will be formed to work hand-in-hand with the organization’s legal team to review and handle the cases.
The Committee also affirms its commitment to taking legal and humanitarian action to mobilize international support for those currently held in Israeli prisons.
Hamas unlikely to participate
Abbas’s decision to reconstitute the PNC comes after years of failed attempts to hold legislative elections – the last of which were held nearly two decades ago. Hamas is unlikely to participate due to its requirement to adhere to the PLO’s platform, its international obligations, and UN resolutions.
One official said, “This step is the minimum possible reform under the current conditions of division and war. At the very least, it will bring a new generation of lawmakers and leaders into the PLO and the State of Palestine’s institutions.”
He added: “Whether elections are held, as the decree states, or based on national consensus, there will be a new National Council for the Palestinian people before the end of this year, and it will carry out its role in building a stable political system.”