Palestinian Factions Reject Appointed National Council
Seven Palestinian factions have rejected the process of reshaping the Palestinian National Council (PNC), accusing the Palestinian Authority (PA) of favoring appointments over elections and exclusion over partnership. They called for the process to revert to an electoral path based on consensus among all Palestinian factions.
The joint statement was signed by Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), the Democratic Reformist Current within Fatah, the Palestinian National Initiative, the Resistance Committees, and the PFLP-General Command. However, the PFLP-General Command later announced that its leadership in Palestine was unaware of its name being attached to the statement.
The factions criticized the method of selecting representatives for Palestinian communities abroad, particularly through electoral colleges, arguing it does not guarantee representation for all segments of Palestinians living overseas. They asserted that the PNC should be an inclusive framework representing Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Jerusalem, and the diaspora, not the property of any single faction or authority.
They demanded that PNC members be chosen through free and transparent elections ensuring proportional representation and preventing the exclusion of any political or social group. The Palestinian News Agency WAFA reported that the selection process for overseas members involves direct elections where possible, or electoral colleges if direct elections are not feasible, with consensus being the fallback option.
The signatory factions accused the Palestinian leadership of attempting to control the PNC's composition and outcomes, warning that a unilateral reshaping could deepen Palestinian division rather than foster unified representation. They urged all factions, independent figures, and civil society organizations to reject any appointment-based or exclusionary formula and called for comprehensive national dialogue to agree on unified election laws and mechanisms for the PNC, allowing participation from Palestinians everywhere, especially refugees in Arab countries.
In a significant development, the PFLP-General Command in Palestine denied its official endorsement of the joint statement, with a source stating that the organization's leadership in Palestine was unaware of the signing and that the statement did not reflect an approved political stance but rather the views of some individual leaders. The source added that the PFLP-General Command's official position would be determined through its internal frameworks and announced later.
This dispute over the PNC's formation occurs as the PA prepares for legislative elections on November 28, the first since 2006. The controversy highlights ongoing Palestinian disagreements regarding the future of the PLO's institutions and representation mechanisms for Palestinians domestically and abroad, amidst increasing pressure on the Palestinian leadership to restructure the political system and enhance unified Palestinian representation.
