Palestinian factions reject appointment process for National Council

Several Palestinian factions and political forces have issued a joint statement rejecting the current methods used by the Palestinian Authority to reform the Palestinian National Council. The groups criticized what they described as “appointment and exclusion” rather than democratic elections, specifically targeting the use of electoral colleges to select representatives for Palestinian communities in various Arab countries.

The signatories, which include Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and the Democratic Reform current within Fatah, argued that these unilateral procedures undermine the Council’s legitimacy and national partnership. They expressed concern that the current process aims to manipulate the Council’s composition to allow specific influential groups within the Palestinian Authority to control its outcomes.

The factions called for a return to a unified electoral law and transparent mechanisms that ensure fair representation for Palestinians both at home and in the diaspora. They emphasized that the Palestinian National Council should serve as a collective national framework representing the will of the Palestinian people rather than being controlled by a single political faction or authority.