Palestinian president orders publication of 1st draft of interim constitution

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued on Monday a presidential decree mandating the publication of the first draft of the interim constitution of the state of Palestine.

The draft will be released for public review via the electronic platform designated by the National Committee for Drafting the Constitution, along with other publication methods determined by the committee, according to Palestine's official news agency Wafa.

The decree seeks to broaden public participation in drafting the interim constitution by inviting citizens, civil society organizations, political factions, experts, and academics to submit comments and proposals on the draft within 60 days of the decree's publication, Wafa added.

The decree assigns the Coordination and Drafting Committee, under the Interim Constitution Preparation Committee, responsibility for collecting, organizing, and reviewing public comments.

The committee will submit a report on the reviewed comments and recommendations to the president for approval before the constitution's draft is finalized.

The decree stipulates that the relevant authorities are responsible for its implementation, and that it enters into force upon issuance and will be published in the official gazette.