The official Palestinian news agency WAFA said on Tuesday that Abbas “issued a presidential decree ordering the publication of the first draft of the interim constitution for the State of Palestine, and making it available for public viewing through the electronic platform dedicated to the National Committee for Drafting the Constitution, and in the media outlets decided upon by the committee.”
She added that "the decision aims to broaden the scope of community participation in drafting the constitutional document, by inviting citizens, civil society organizations, political forces, experts and academics to submit their comments and suggestions on the draft, within a period of sixty days from the date of publication of the decision."
Wafa explained that the Coordination and Drafting Committee, which emerged from the Committee for Drafting the Interim Constitution, will be responsible for receiving, organizing, and studying the comments.
The agency stated that "the observations will be classified into substantive observations related to constitutional principles, and technical observations related to drafting and organization, in preparation for introducing the necessary amendments in a way that achieves the public interest and national consensus."
According to the presidential decree, the Coordination and Drafting Committee will prepare a detailed report on the results of studying the observations and recommendations, to be submitted to President Abbas for discussion and approval before preparing the final version of the draft constitution.
According to the text of the decision, "the competent authorities will be responsible for implementing its provisions, and it shall be effective from the date of its issuance and published in the Official Gazette."
On October 3, Abbas announced in a presidential statement that he had tasked the relevant Palestinian authorities with completing a temporary constitution for the State of Palestine, to be completed within three months, and that it would form the basis for the transition from the Authority to the State.
On February 2, Abbas also issued a presidential decree calling on the people to participate in the election of the National Council (the highest body in the Palestine Liberation Organization), on November 1, 2026.
These developments come amid Arab, regional, and international demands for the Palestinian Authority to carry out political reforms in its institutions and the Palestine Liberation Organization, especially with the increasing international recognition of the State of Palestine.
Last September, 11 countries recognized the State of Palestine during the United Nations General Assembly meetings: Britain, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Luxembourg, Belgium, Andorra, France, Malta, Monaco, and San Marino, bringing the total to 159 out of 193 UN member states.
