Fatah Accuses Hamas of Straying from National Consensus and the Constitution Amid Controversy

In a new political escalation on the Palestinian scene, the Fatah movement has sharply criticized Hamas, considering that it has deviated from the national consensus by involving the constitution in political disputes.

Fatah spokesperson Abdel Fattah Dula stated that the constitution should remain free from party disputes, emphasizing that the draft of the temporary constitution was formulated "by Palestinian minds and hands," and that the door remains open for everyone to provide comments and suggestions regarding it, indicating that participation is available despite political disagreements.

* Abbas Launches Phase of Public Consultations

In parallel, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a presidential decree to publish the first draft of the temporary constitution for the State of Palestine and make it available to the public through the electronic platform designated for the National Committee for Drafting the Constitution, in addition to the means of publication determined by the committee.

The aim of the decree is to expand the circle of community participation in drafting the constitutional document by inviting citizens, civil society organizations, political forces, experts, and academics to provide their comments during a period extending to 60 days from the date of publication of the decree.

* Mechanism for Studying Comments and Amendments

The Coordination and Drafting Committee, which is derived from the Committee for Preparing the Temporary Constitution, will be responsible for receiving, organizing, and systematically studying the comments, to be classified into:

• Substantive comments related to constitutional principles and general foundations.

• Technical comments related to legal formulation and organization.

After studying the comments, the committee will prepare a detailed report including the results and recommendations to be submitted to the head of state for discussion and approval, paving the way for the preparation of the final version of the constitution draft.

The decree confirmed that the relevant authorities will implement its provisions, to take effect from the date of its issuance and be published in the official gazette.

* Seven Months of Work and 70 Meetings

The National Committee for Drafting the Constitution, which was formed by presidential decree, began its work immediately upon being tasked by the president and completed its work over approximately seven continuous months, during which it held about 70 meetings and engaged in consultations and communications with various civil society institutions and relevant parties.

The committee clarified that the draft took into account the principles of political pluralism, the separation of powers, in addition to enhancing the oversight and legislative powers of parliament, thereby establishing the foundations of good governance and enhancing national participation.

Amid intense political debate and calls to prioritize national interest, the temporary constitution draft remains in a real testing phase, the title of which is:

Will the Palestinian forces succeed in turning it into a space of consensus, or will it turn into a new arena for political conflict?