Ramallah, January 10, 2012: Coalition for Integrity and Accountability (Aman) held a workshop aiming to discuss some of the Political Corruption indicators in the Palestinian national authority, in light of the efforts exerted to develop the performance of the Palestinian institutions and to take the necessary measures and actions to enhance integrity, transparency and accountability.

Political parties, all Palestinian factions, representatives of the civil society organizations and some of the legal consultants in the Palestinian ministries attended the meeting. During the course of meeting, the participants discussed the continuous procrastination of the general and local elections; applying security clearance requirements on Palestinians, violating citizens’ Right of Assembly and association, both, in the West Bank and Gaza; exclusion of  the “Other” from  public employment; and politicizing official media.

Ongoing Procrastination of Election is one of the Political Corruption Indicators

Participants pointed out that the incessant procrastination of elections, especially local elections, had  a negative impact on the democratic process as it relates to holding periodic elections. Furthermore, it deprived citizens from choosing their representatives and raised questions on the legitimacy of the existing formal institutions in charge. They further emphasized that to postponement of elections for an indefinite period of time is not justified and contradicts the provisions of law and the essence of the decision issued by the High Court of Justice by which the Court requested formally from the government set a date to hold these elections.

Moreover, the ongoing procrastination of elections further multiplies problems and opens opportunities for corruption, especially since the majority of these authorities were appointed and not elected..

Violating the Right of Assembly and Association

Attendees discussed the report findings regarding the clear violations of the Palestinians' right for Assembly and Association as stated in the Palestinian Basic Law.  Some of these violations include closure of a number of institutions in the West Banka and Gaza for political reasons. In addition, several conferences, peaceful gatherings and or demonstrations were prevented, with sponsors and organizers of those events harassed, assaulted and arrested, both, in the West Bank and Gaza. These and other violations are indications of the many limitations and restrictions imposed on Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza hence a clear violation of the Palestinian Basic Law and other relevant laws.

Exclusion of the “Other” in Public Employment is a  Form of Political Corruption

Participants condemned the use of public service occupation as a tool for political settlement between Fatah and Hamas in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, where thousands of employees were and are  literarily dismissed since mid-2007 on grounds of their political affiliation.  Moreover, many individuals were denied opportunities for public employment based on denial of the security apparatus granting them approval.  

Attendees also briefly discussed the report findings regarding financial disclosures. The report noted that these disclosures have not been submitted for the whole of the past period despite the fact that all legislations in that regard have been completed. 

In conclusion, representatives of political parties present agreed in consensus that the political division has deepened political corruption in Palestine, and they therefore called for the need to respect the decision of the High Court of Justice in regards to appointing a date for the legislative and local elections. They also agreed on the need to abolish implementation of requesting security clearance for employment. They also called for ending the practice of excluding the “Other” in public employment as this is a form political corruption.

Finally, they called for the need to accelerate realization of Palestinian reconciliation hence ending the political division between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, asserting that the internal division and the pursuit of reconciliation have been used as a pretext to override the law and violate citizens’ rights and public freedoms as well as delay elections.