The PLO Central Council is expected to start its meetings this evening at the Presidential Headquarters in Ramallah to last two days most probably to discuss the developments in Gaza Strip and the political developments. Hanna Amireh, member of PLO Executive Committee, said the Central Council meetings come to express support to President Abbas' steps on discharging Ismail Hanieh and declaring a state of emergency and forming a government to run the affairs during the state of emergency and in order to set up clear and specific titles to reactivate the PLO and follow up this through holding regular meetings of the Central Council in the next phase. He added: the current situation in Gaza is expected to be the main issue of discussion and the means to handle the situation through setting up a detailed plan to be agreed upon and means to deal with our people in Gaza Strip in light of the decisions of the Israeli government to impose a full siege on Gaza Strip, including the ban of financial transfers through banks. The meeting will be headed by Salim Za'noun, Speaker of the Palestinian National Council. Abu Mazen is expected to present a report to the meeting on the latest political, security and economic developments. The Central Council is the middle body between the Palestinian National Council and the PLO Executive Committee and it assumes the role of the PNC during the period between the meetings of the PNC. Amireh said five factions (The Palestinian People's Party, the PFLP, the DFLP, FIDA Party, and Popular Struggle Front) will submit a proposal to the Council for holding early elections and to start a popular campaign to hold the elections. He ruled out the possibility to see the Council issue a decision on early elections.

Nabil Abu Rdeineh said President Abbas will deliver a speech before the Central Council to explain what happened in Gaza and to talk about the steps and nature of decisions to be taken. On the return to dialogue with Hamas, he said before any dialogue, Hamas must withdraw from all posts and restore legitimacy before engaging in any negotiations or dialogue with Hamas.

In the meantime, it seems that the emergency government formed by Salam Fayyad is expected to last for a long time because of the problems that prevent the PLC from convening because the PLC is the sole body that can give or withdraw the confidence vote to the government. The political split and the capacity of Fatah and Hamas to prevent a quorum in the PLC which means that the emergency government which has thirty days only might continue after the thirty days until the PLC can convene to grant it or withdraw from it the confidence vote. Observers say the new term of the PLC which is expected at the start of July will be facing another problem which is the election of a new PLC Speaker House but taking into consideration the fact that Israel arrests 44 PLC members and in light of the tension between Fatah and Hamas, which means that Hamas cannot guarantee that the speaker house will remain under its control, so Hamas will not accept any elections for the speaker house. Looking at the distribution of the PLC seats, Hamas has 35 actual seats following the arrest of 39 of its members, in addition to 4 independent figures who used to vote with Hamas, but after what happened in Gaza, their votes are not guaranteed. Fatah on the other hand has 41 seats and Israel arrests 4 of its members, but this number qualify it to hold alliance with other lists to gain the PLC speaker house. The other lists have 8 seats. So any bloc whether Fatah or Hamas can obstruct the convening of the PLC session if they tell their members not to attend a certain session.

Azmi Shueibi, former PLC member, said: in the PLC we were afraid that Israel will take measures to obstruct the works of the PLC so we granted the President authorities to issue decrees taking the form of laws to run the affairs of the country. He explained: the emergency government will continue to run the affairs in the state of emergency until the PLC can convene and this scenario can become a reality.

Published at Al Ayyam NewsPaper on June 20, 2007