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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Dweik condemns attack by PA security forces |
| 2010-01-26 |
| [Ma'an] Aziz Dweik, Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, and Hamas affiliate, condemned on Monday what he described as an attack by security forces against his staff at the PLC headquarters, including the searching his car and detaining its driver for two hours, he said in a statement. "This attack represents a clear policy undertaken by these parties, who seek to disable all efforts for the success of reconciliation efforts," Dweik's statement read. "[searching my car] is a dangerous precedent, and a flagrant violation of the immunity granted me according to Palestinian Basic Law, which prevents the searching of my luggage, home, or car. This represents a personal attack on this constitutional institution [the PLC] and its president." The statement added that the incident indicated a rejection of national reconciliation, having followed a news conference where Dweik discussed the need to promote dialogue and achieve national unity. The de facto Ministry of Information condemned the searching of both Dweik and Mahmoud Ar-Ramahi, secretary of the PLC's vehicles in a separate statement. "This incident represents strange behavior, far from Palestinian norms ... [we consider] the repeated violations of law in the West Bank conformation that, in reality, freedoms and rights are going through its worst phase." Six staff members of the PLC member were arrested by Palestinian Authority police as they exited the PLC Headquarters in Ramallah on Sunday, lawmaker Ar-Ramahi reported. Among the six was the driver of PLC Dr Aziz Dweik. The driver was detained along with the keys to Dweik's car, stranding the official in Ramallah. The official term of the PLC came to an end Sunday, with sides calling into question the legitimacy of the PLO move to extend its term. One PLC member handed over his PA-issued vehicle in the afternoon, saying he was "no longer a PLC member." |
| Posted by:Fred |