New Book Explores Legal Conditions During Period of Political Division

A new publication has been released by the Law and Politics Project, implemented by the Institute of Law (IoL) in 2012. The book, “Legislative Status in the Palestinian Territory: Mechanisms, Consequences and Solutions,” highlights the Palestinian legislative process in light of internal political divisions that have affected the Palestinian territory since 2007. It characterises and assesses legislative conditions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, identifies major legislative mechanisms and tools applied in each area, explores legal consequences and positions created by internal political divisions, and investigates predicaments resulting from duplicate public authorities.
The publication further examines potential scenarios and solutions to be put in place once the Palestinian national reconciliation effort materialises, and the division is ended. In addition to analysing the political background and roots of the internal Palestinian division, the book investigates judicial oversight of constitutional processes in Palestine, assessing how effective oversight is in this current stage.
The book diagnoses the political causes of the internal Palestinian political division, reviews major national reconciliation agreements, and provides a political assessment of these agreements. It also examines the legal and practical framework of the legislative process operative in the West Bank and Gaza from 2007-12.
These themes are extensively investigated by dedicated research papers. In addition to an introduction, the book comprises four chapters, exploring the abovementioned themes in the context of respective legal and practical reality.
To maximize the study outcomes, the IoL organized a number of interviews with relevant legislative bodies in the West Bank and Gaza with a view to identifying major mechanisms and tools used in the current law-making process. Interviews were also designed to identify legal positions created by regulations passed during the reporting period, as well as respective impact and legal problems. For consultation about particular themes, several interviews were conducted with relevant local and regional experts.
The first in the Series of Law and Politics, Legislative Status in the Palestinian Territory: Mechanisms, Consequences and Solutions contributes to creating a Palestinian socio-legal mobility to uncover legal predicaments, consequences and positions, as seen by the Palestinian legislative process. It helps identify potential remedies to cope with this status once Palestinian unity is restored.
The IoL thanks and extends appreciation to all those who have contributed to the compilation of this distinguished, qualitative publication and the support it has received through the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung. In particular, the IoL extends its thanks and gratitude to the researchers and partners, including official and nonofficial institutions and individuals, who facilitated access to information and provided valuable insight for this book.
This text was published in the Arabic language. To receive a copy of the Legislative Status in the Palestinian Territory: Mechanisms, Consequences and Solutions, please contact the IoL at:
Institute of Law, Birzeit University, P.O. Box 14, Birzeit, Palestine
Telephone: 2009-298-2-972/970+
Fax: 2137-298-2-2-972/970+
Email: [email protected]
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