Hamas holds Palestinian Legislative Council session in Gaza

 The Islamic Hamas movement, which rules the Gaza Strip, held Wednesday a session for the inoperative Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) despite opposition from other blocks.
The PLC, parliament of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), has been inoperative since Hamas violently seized control of the Gaza Strip in June 2007, which witnessed internal Palestinian divisions.
Hamas, which won the parliamentary elections in January 2006, held parliament sessions until agreement was reached with President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah Party to form a unity government last June.
"The (unity) government is unsuccessful and it either should reorganize itself or withdraw," said PLC member Mahmoud al-Zahar, a senior member in the Hamas politburo.
PLC deputy speaker, Ahmed Bahar, also a senior Hamas leader, accused the unity government of eschewing its responsibility towards the Gaza Strip.
"We will keep holding our parliament sessions until we resolve the internal division and achieve reconciliation," said Bahar, bashing the unity government performance.
Only PLC members attended the session in Gaza city, whilst other blocks in parliament, namely Fatah, boycotted the session.
"Holding a special PLC session for Gaza by Hamas means a resumption of deep divisions," said Fisal Abu Shahla, a Gaza-based Fatah lawyer, who boycotted the PLC session.

Source: XINHUA