PRESS RELEASE

Released @ 09.00 hours GMT 5th June1997

The Gaza municipality refuses to change its position and remains in contempt of the rule of law and the authority of the Palestinian judiciary.

On 31st May in Al-Hayat and Al-Quds newspapers, the Mayor of Gaza City, Mr. Awon Shawwa, criticised a press release which the Palestinian Centre had issued on 29th May 1997. The Centre’s press release criticised the municipality’s move to demolish homes in Gaza City, in violation of an order nisi which had been issued by the Palestinian High Court of Justice. The Mayor did not respond to the specific issue raised by the Centre about the violation of the High Court decision and the threat such actions constitute to the rule of law in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The Centre would like to clarify the following:

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  1. In the Centre’s press release of 29th May, we stressed the dangers inherent in the municipality’s flouting of the Court’s ruling; we demanded that the municipality respect the decisions of the Court and that they work towards the promotion of the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary and the respect for human rights. The Mayor’s claim that these issues are “unfounded accusations” is inaccurate and misses the point.

  2. It is a foremost concern of the Palestinian Centre that the Gaza municipality violated the High Court ruling, the highest Palestinian judicial authority. We believe fully in the independence and impartiality of the Palestinian judiciary, and demand that its rulings specifically, and the rule of law generally, be respected.

  3. The mayor stated that the families whose homes had been demolished in violation of the Court order have refused compensation. We would like to note that the matter of compensation should be made the subject of judicial determination, but above all is the need for the rule of law to be respected.

  4. While the Centre supports urban development within the municipality, it stresses that such projects must be taken within the bounds of the law, and in a sustainable manner that does not infringe upon the human rights of the Palestinian people, who are all that remains in this very difficult time.

  5. We hope that efforts will be intensified so that the issue can be resolved and a just settlement found for the families whose homes were demolished; the Centre demands that those who violated the Court order be held responsible, so that the authority of the Palestinian judiciary can be reaffirmed.

6. Finally, the Centre rejects the Mayor’s attempts to discredit us.

The PCHR would like to note that the Mayor published his response to the Centre’s press release in the “Letters to the Editor” section of Al-Hayat and Al-Quds. However when the Centre attempted to use its right to respond, the newspapers refused to publish this press release.