Former Director of the Palestinian Prisoner Society and current member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, Issa Qaraqa’, spoke with PNN regarding the current state of affairs in the Palestinian Government.
Qaraqa’ said frankly that the Fateh party will no accept return to the Palestinian Authority, now under Hamas control after January’s elections, “as long as it lacks a strategic vision on the political and organizational level.”
He did not suggest that Fateh has learned from past experience, saying it clings to the mentality of petty supporters and exclusive control. Qaraqa’ does not see a vision other than the status quo coming from the former leading party, but there is none from the leading Hamas.
The MP told PNN, “I do not find that the leadership is opening up even the minimum membership in the Parliament, opening up only by designating a Central Committee with the same seating arrangement, and a Bloc whose names are recognized only, but not their ability to work or influence.”
Continuing, Qaraqa’ said, “If the enthusiasm has led to a crisis and to find a vision to salvage the situation of the Palestinian Fateh movement, it has worked to convince the Palestinian public to look again for an alternative.”
He explained that the Legislative Council is in a state of paralysis because of the extreme variation in attitudes between Fateh and Hamas. Even a simple vote is difficult. Thursday’s PLC meeting tried to deal with a resolution prepared by the Political Committee calling for a commitment to the resolutions of international legitimacy and international humanitarian law and to hold an international peace conference.
Qaraqa’ said that the Palestinian Legislative Council is becoming a soapbox for party politics and very little is being accomplished.
