Impact of the Internal Political Split on the Rule of Law in Palestine

The internal political split between Hamas in Gaza and Fatah in the West Bank has had enormous institutional consequences, in particular on the rule of law in the Palestinian territories. Given the current rapprochement between both parties and the formation of a government of national unity, the topic has been brought into sharper focus, giving occasion to a conference of the Institute of Law of the University of Birzeit in cooperation with Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Ramallah and the Rule of Law Program Middle East / North Africa of KAS based in Beirut.

The 350 participants gathered on May 28, 2014, on the campus of Birzeit University as well as in Hotel al-Mathaf in Gaza to exchange their perspectives on rule of law in the Palestinian territories. The conferenced aimed at the evaluation of current relations and discrepancies in the legal system as well as the compilation of recommendations for action for the parties concerned. In view of the current rapprochement between Fatah and Hamas, the judicial, political and economic experts present agreed that political unity serves as an essential mainstay of a well-functioning judiciary.