By Xinhua,
Ramallah : A Palestinian legislator said on Saturday that there are efforts exerted to fully convene the not-working Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) before launching the inter-Palestinian dialogue in Cairo.
Hassan Khreisha, second deputy speaker of the PLC said in a statement that none of the PLC members has received the invitation to attend the dialogue that is scheduled to resume in Cairo this week.
“But there are preparatory steps we are carrying out before the dialogue begins, mainly trying to hold a full session of the parliament to be attended by both rival movements, Fatah and Hamas,” said Khreisha.
The 132-member PLC, dominated by Hamas, hasn’t convened since the movement took control of the Gaza Strip by force in mid June 2007. Rival Fatah bloc boycotted the sessions to protest Hamas’ action.
Israel has also detained most of Hamas legislators in the West Bank, including the Speaker of the House Aziz Dweik. Around 40 PLC members, mainly from Hamas, are in Israeli jails.
Fatah movement got 46 PLC seats, Hamas obtained 74, including four independent seats it supported, in the legislative elections held in January 2006, while other small blocs have 12 PLC members.
“We are trying to convene the PLC in the West Bank and Gaza in order to agree on forming a transitional Palestinian government, stopping the fighting and the campaigns of media incitement,” said Khreisha.
Egypt will host this week bilateral dialogues respectively with Palestinian factions, including Fatah and Hamas, before launching a comprehensive dialogue aimed at ending the inter-Palestinian division.