Palestine: 100 PNC members call for delaying meeting

More than 100 members of the Palestinian National Council (PNC) yesterday called for the postponement of the body’s meeting, which is due to be held on 30 April, Safa news agency reported.

In a message sent to the Chairman of the PNC Salim Al-Zanoun the members said they do not believe the meeting should take place without Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine in an effort to maintain Palestinian unity.

According to the PNC members, many of the Palestinian factions will not be able to attend the meeting because they cannot enter Ramallah which is under occupation.

Read: Hamas calls on Palestinian factions to boycott PNC meeting

Holding the meeting without reaching a national consensus about its venue is against the recommendations of the preparation committee which was held in Beirut last year, they added.

On 7 March, the Executive Committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation headed by Mahmoud Abbas decided to hold the PNC meeting in Ramallah on 30 April.

The PNC, which was established in 1948, should include members from all the Palestinian factions and independent lawmakers.