Official: Hamas lawmakers' release "opportunity" to convene parliament

Israeli release of nine Hamas lawmakers of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) would help to convene the Palestinian parliament, an independent official said in a statement on Thursday.

Hassan Khreisha, second deputy to the PLC's speaker, said the Israeli release of nine lawmakers "is a good sign to make all other blocks and parties represented in the parliament to seriously consider convening the parliament."

Hamas movement occupied 73 seats in the 132-member PLC, better known as the parliament of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), after it defeated its Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement in the parliamentary elections held in the Palestinian territories in January 2006.

According to PNA constitutions, legislative and presidential elections are scheduled to be held on Jan. 25 next year. However, the Hamas-dominated PLC hasn't been convening regularly after 40 Hamas lawmakers were detained in August 2006, including Aziz al-Dweik, the PLC speaker.

Israel detained the Hamas parliament speaker as well as 39 Hamas lawmakers right after Hamas seized the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in the Gaza Strip in late June 2006.

Fatah movement decided to boycott any PLC session in protest to taking control of the Gaza Strip by Hamas in 2007.

Khreisha called on rival Hamas and Fatah movements to hurry up and reach a reconciliation agreement. "Preparations for holding the elections should start soon, and I believe no one can start it before reaching an agreement."