Hamas lawmakers convene Palestinian Legislative Council in Gaza

Hamas lawmakers convened the
Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC)
on Tuesday for the first time this year
in the Gaza Strip .

The legislators unanimously
reaffirmed support for a law,
passed by the Hamas-controlled chamber last year, that
prohibits the surrender of Jerusalem as
the capital of Palestine.

According to article 70 of the Palestinian basic law, the new
law should be submitted to the Palestinian president for
ratification, and if he does not respond within 30 days,
the law goes into effect and will be published in
the official newspaper.

Acting PLC Speaker Ahmad Bahar opened the session with
a speech in which he extended his greetings Palestinian
detainees in Israeli jails, especially PLC speaker Dr Aziz Dweik
and other PLC members. He also saluted the Palestinian
people for what he sees as steadfastness in the face
of the Israeli aggression.

He also condemned the Israeli excavations around
the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in Jerusalem and settlement
activities in the capital which he said are intended to displace
the city's indigenous Palestinian residents.

Bahar also called on Palestinian president to stop holding
"pointless" meetings with the Israelis because, in his view,
they provide political cover for Israeli atrocities
against the Palestinian people.

Bahar criticized the West Bank-based caretaker
government, headed by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad,
calling the government "illegal." He said: "The PLC speaker
herby affirms that any act or law made by Salam Fayyad's
government will be completely illegal according to the
Palestinian constitution because it is made by an illegal
government. That government came to power by force and
was not sworn-in by the PLC. That was unprecedented
violation of the Palestinian law and a great criminal act
against democracy and the rule of law."

Bahar also condemned attacks against Christians in
Palestine and their properties such as the assault
against the YMCA in Gaza on Sunday and the killing of
Christian librarian Rami Ayyad.

Hamas' "Change and Reform" bloc won a majority in the
PLC in January 2006. After taking control of the Gaza Strip
in June 2007, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas fired the
Hamas-led unity government and appointed a caretaker
government that holds power in the West Bank.