Palestinian National Council to elect new PLO executive committee soon

The Palestinian National Council (PNC) will convene on September 15 to elect new members of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) executive committee, Palestinian officials said Thursday.

The PNC is the PLO's legislative body, and elects its Executive Committee (PLO EC), which assumes leadership of the organization between sessions.

The PNC is the highest authority in the PLO, responsible for formulating its policies and programs.

It serves as the parliament for all Palestinians in and out of the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), representing all sectors of the Palestinian community worldwide, including political parties, popular organizations, resistance movements, and independent figures from all sectors of life.

The Council formally meets every two years. Resolutions are passed by a simple majority with a quorum of two-thirds. The PNC elects its own chairman.

Salim Za'noon, PNC Speaker, the PLO parliament in exile, told Palestinian Radio "Voice of Palestine" that the PNC will hold a regular two-day session in the West Bank city of Ramallah Sept. 15.

"In case Israelis prevent PNC members overseas from joining the Ramallah session, we will hold an emergency session with PNC members able to attend," said Za'noon.

The meeting aims to elect a new PLO executive committee after committee chairman, President Mahmoud Abbas and nine other members, resigned during a Ramallah PLO meeting last week.

"In case we reach a compromise, the PNC will elect new PLO executive committee members," said Za'noon, adding "most factions called me, informing me officially they will attend the session."

However, the Islamic Hamas movement opposed the decision of holding regular PNC sessions to elect new executive PLO committee members after its members' mass resignation.

"Holding a PNC session cloaks national deals. It insists on carrying out unilateral steps and reverting to national Palestinian consensus," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri, said in a press statement.

Abu Zuhri held the leadership of Abbas's Fatah Party responsible for the session's consequences, adding "Hamas calls on all factions to beware and not get involved in anything which may threaten our unity."
Source: XINHUA