Abbas Censured

Acting PLC speaker censures President Abbas assuming PLC authority

"Gaza – Ma'an – Acting speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), Ahmad Bahar, stated on Monday that the amended Palestinian laws of 2003 do not give Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, the authority to hold Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) sessions.

During a press conference on Monday in Gaza, Bahar insisted that Abbas immediately withdraw the decrees recently issued, which he said "help no one, but the Israelis".

Bahar said that the PLC is clinging to its legal rights, and that the presidential decrees issued by Abbas contain "an obvious lack of faith in the constitution and a dangerous violation of the separation between authorities principle.

"The head of the PLC is the only person authorised to announce the holding of sessions, and the general supervision of the PLC" said Bahar.

The president of the PLC said that it is illegal for the president to make PLC decisions.

"The Israeli military has arrested more than 45 deputies from the PLC, most of them from Hamas. Fatah is fully responsible for the diminishing responsibility of the PLC." Bahar said.

Bahar asserted that any session called without the knowledge of the head of the PLC will be considered illegal. "