Twelve Palestinian political and anti-Israeli occupation factions signed in the West Bank town of Ramallah on Monday, October 18, 2005 a 25-article “Code of Conduct” specifying principles and rules to guide them before, during and after the upcoming legislative elections, scheduled for January 25, a date they said they would not accept to delay.

The Palestinian Central Elections Commission also participated in drafting the Code and added its signature to the document.

The Islamic Jihad neither participated in the drafting of the Code nor in signing the document. The Jihad decided not to run candidates in the upcoming legislative elections.

The Islamic Resistance Movement “Hamas” was the only faction that did not sign the Code and did not participate in the signing ceremony, held at the Grand Park hotel.

“Miscommunication” between the Hamas leadership in Gaza Strip and the West Bank was the main reason for failure of the movement to add its signature to the Code, said Abdul Rahman Abu Arafeh, the director of the Arab Thought Forum, which sponsored the Code of Conduct initiative.

The detention of Sheikh Hasan Yousef, Hamas representative in the West Bank, by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) contributed to the “miscommunication,” Abu Arafeh said.

Hasan Yousef was among 700 Palestinian anti-occupation activists detained by the IOF during the last few weeks.

Yousef took part in drafting the 25-article code, Abu Arafeh said.

Hamas representatives in the Gaza Strip may sign the document.

However DPA quoted “well-informed Palestinian sources” as saying that Hamas leaders in Gaza had some reservations about certain points in the Code of Conduct, and said that because they were not consulted in advance, they were not ready to sign.

Hamas representative in Lebanon confirmed the DPA report on Tuesday. He told the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera satellite TV station that the Islamic movement did not participate in drafting the “final” document and has “some reservations” on it.

All the signatory factions, including the ruling Fatah movement, said they were committed to holding the elections on January 25 and would not accept any delays.

Member of Fatah’s Central Committee Hani Al-Hasan signed the Code and denied media reports that the elections might be postponed.

Al-Hasan however acknowledged that there are “pressures” on the Palestinian leadership to delay the vote.

He revealed that President Mahmoud Abbas will ask the US President George W. Bush during their upcoming summit in Washington on October 20 to help secure the withdrawal of the IOF to their positions before September 28, 2000 to facilitate the Palestinian legislative elections.

Al-Hasan also declared that the twelve factions had agreed to delay taking a decision on the issue of collecting the weapons until after the elections are held. The issue will be refereed to the “new” Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) to take “a national” and not a “factional” decision on it.

Addressing the meeting and speaking on behalf of the National and Islamic Forces, Qais Abdel-Karim of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) said, “ We are here to announce to the whole world that we are committed to democratic principles, and that democracy is the only road to reform our institutions and build our homeland.”

Chairman of the Palestinian Central Elections Commission Hanna Mousa Nasser said that the Code was “officially” signed and accordingly it has become mandatory to all the signatories.

The signatories pledged not to finance their campaigns directly or indirectly from non-Palestinian outside or foreign sources, and agreed that the cost of the campaign shall not exceed one million US dollars for each list and sixty thousand dollars for each candidate.

Political leaders, lawmakers, civil society representatives and some diplomatic corps attended the signing ceremony.

Source: Palestine Media Center - PMC