March 6 (Bloomberg) -- The Palestinian parliament, meeting for the second time since Hamas won a majority of seats in elections, voted to cancel measures approved by outgoing lawmakers aimed at restricting the new government's powers.
The Palestinian Legislative Council, meeting in Ramallah on the West Bank, voted 64 to 7 to rescind measures that included the creation of a constitutional court with the power to veto legislation. All 45 legislators belonging to the Fatah Party, which dominated the previous parliament, walked out of the meeting before the vote, following a debate characterized by shouting and heckling.
Hamas, which won 74 out of the 132 seats in parliament in Jan. 25 elections, is in the process of forming a government. The movement, which is sworn to Israel's destruction, is seeking coalition partners, including Fatah, in an effort to head off plans by Israel, the U.S. and Europe to stop financial aid.
Fatah supports a negotiated peace with Israel, which is one of the conditions donor nations have set, and the possibility of Fatah joining a coalition has helped to ease concerns about a Hamas-led Palestinian Authority. The walkout by Fatah lawmakers today may signal that Hamas won't be able to build a coalition.
Ahmed Qureia, the former prime minister and a Fatah leader, yesterday urged the movement's Revolutionary Council not to join a Hamas-dominated cabinet. He said the office of President Mahmoud Abbas, who belongs to Fatah, should be strengthened as a counterweight.
In addition to the constitutional court, whose nine members were to be appointed by Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, parliament today rescinded other legislation approved by the previous Fatah-controlled legislature Feb. 13.
Go to Court
That included transferring control of the Palestine Broadcasting Corp., which operates state-owned television and radio stations, to Abbas's office from the Information Ministry, and his naming of the directors of government bodies responsible for civil servants, insurance for government employees, and monetary policy.
Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiatior, said Fatah will go to court to block today's measures. While Hamas didn't mobilize the two thirds majority normally needed to cancel the measures, officials contended that the previous parliament had no right to approve them after elections were held.