PA security forces detain Palestinian parliament speaker

Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces yesterday detained Palestinian Parliament Speaker Aziz Dwaik and a number of MPs to prevent them from reaching their office.

In a recorded statement sent to MEMO, Aziz Dwaik said: “We had a press conference to comment on the [decision of the Constitutional Court] to dissolve parliament. We were surprised with this detention.”

He added: “While we were at the checkpoint, we received a phone call from the intelligence agency which told us to bring two photographs and go to their office in Hebron.”

Dwaik said that the conference was coordinated with the different PA parties related, stressing it was permitted by the highest chief of the intelligence agency.

“About 30 to 40 security members detained us,” he said while inside a car along with three other MPs, adding that they were released after about one hour.

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“They treated us impolitely and with clear disrespect,” he said.

On Saturday, the Constitutional Court, which was formed by PA President Mahmoud Abbas, issued a decision to dissolve parliament.

Chief of the PA Security Forces Adnan Al-Damiri said he would carry out the decision of the Constitutional Court.

Dwaik did not recognise this decision as it was issued by an “illegal” court, stressing that such courts, according to the Palestinian law, “must be approved” by him as head of parliament and this did not happen.

Hamas, which holds a majority in parliament, also rejected the decision.

Ahmed Bahar, a Hamas official and deputy parliament speaker, held a press conference in Gaza and said: “The decision of the Constitutional Court is illegal.” He called for carrying out presidential, parliamentary and Palestinian National Council elections.