9/11/2009
The civil society organizations and
political parties are gravely concerned about the danger behind the decision of
the Palestinian Authority of dismissing the elected municipalities. The
Ministry of Local Government appointed committees as well to conduct the work
of the dismissed elected municipalities. We, as civil society organizations and
political parties consider that these arbitrary decisions will expose the democratic
norms to danger.
The civil society organizations and
political parties affirm the necessity to be committed to democratic values,
and the principle of legitimacy that is derived from the voters' will which
resulted in the elected municipalities. We also inquire that the councils of
local government should not be involved in such decisions. Instead, their
practices should be evaluated according to their performance in providing
services for their local communities. The Palestinian people face all kinds of
Israeli occupation attacks. Therefore, the efforts should be focused on strengthening
their steadiness and not on making decisions that deepen the political division.
The civil society organizations and
political parties also call for an immediate action to achieve a national
reconciliation, and a Palestinian national unity in these critical and
dangerous circumstances that the national cause is going through.
In this context, the civil society and
political parties affirm that the Palestinian democracy can be strengthened
through free and fair elections. We aspire that these elections will be
periodic, regular, and based on the Palestinian people's will.