Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights has been following with much concern recent developments regarding efforts to realize Palestinian reconciliation aimed at ending the internal division.
Al Mezan calls on the Palestinian political groups to restore national unity without further delay.
The internal division has had serious implications on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) and, therefore, must be brought to an end.
Al Mezan calls for holding the general elections under national unity.
    According to Palestinian law, general elections for the Palestinian Authority presidency and Palestinian Legislative Council should be held in the West Bank (including Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip on 24 January 2010.
The Palestinian Authority President, Mr.
Mahmoud Abbas, issued a presidential decree on Friday 23 October confirming this date.
The call for elections comes amid continuous disagreement and media campaigns among Palestinian political groups, which blame each other for the failure in achieving national reconciliation under Egyptian mediation.
  Al Mezan asserts that the holding of periodic elections represents one of the most important standards related to the holding of free and fair elections in democratic societies; it is also a human right requirement and a constitutional requirement.
The free participation of people in free elections is a human right safeguarded by both the Palestinian Basic Law and international human rights standards.
Although the call for elections emanates from Palestinian law and is a national requirement, Al Mezan asserts that value of elections and its vital role as a force for change springs from national unity and reconciliation which ensure a dynamic political system.
  Notwithstanding the importance of elections as a component of democracy that guarantees the peaceful transfer of power, accountability and citizen participation, such goals cannot be achieved without national reconciliation between all Palestinian political groups.
            Al Mezan therefore calls upon all Palestinian political groups, especially Hamas and Fatah, to bring to a swift end to the internal division and to reach an agreement on holding democratic elections.
Realities on the ground indicate that holding free elections in the oPt in the absence of reconciliation will be impossible.
The current division in the political and judicial systems, in addition to the continued Israeli violations, is an impediment to free elections.
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