JULY 11 PLC MEETING FAILS TO REACH A QUORUM

S E C R E T JERUSALEM 001441

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2017
TAGS: KPAL KWBG PGOV PREL PTER IS
SUBJECT: JULY 11 PLC MEETING FAILS TO REACH A QUORUM

Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (SBU) Summary: The Palestinian Legislative Council
(PLC) did not reach a quorum for the July 11 meeting called
by PA President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen),because of a
boycott by HAMAS legislators. Contacts in Abbas' office say
he is considering next steps. End Summary.

PLC FAILS TO REACH A QUORUM
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2. (C) Forty-one Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC)
deputies attended the July 11 PLC meeting, called by Abu
Mazen in a July 5 decree, falling short of the required 67
deputies for a quorum. HAMAS deputies boycotted the meeting,
and HAMAS Executive Force (EF) members prevented four Fatah
deputies from entering the Gaza PLC building to attend the
session via videoconference. According to Fatah PLC Bloc
leader Azzam al-Ahmad, HAMAS boycotted the meeting because it
would not have had a voting majority, since 41 HAMAS
legislators are in Israeli prisons. Without a quorum, the
PLC was unable to convene a new session that would have begun
with the election of a new speaker and deputies. It also was
not able to consider Abbas's presidential decrees issued
during the emergency period, including the decree that
allowed PM Fayyad's government to assume power without PLC
approval.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE NEW GOVERNMENT
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3. (C) Presidency Chief of Staff Rafiq al-Husseini told
PolChief that Abbas' focus is on enhancing the political
legitimacy of PM Fayyad's government and that he does not
believe most Palestinians are concerned about the legal
issues at play. He indicated that Abu Mazen is considering
next steps that will keep PM Fayyad's government in place,
consistent with the Basic Law.
WALLES