Ramallah: Former Fatah strongman Mohammad Dahlan is still enjoying his parliamentary immunity as a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), but has already been summoned by the Palestinian Anti Corruption Court to defend himself in financial corruption and murder charges, said a top Fatah official.
Speaking to Gulf News, Najat Abu Baker, a PLC member and top Fatah official said that it is time for the Palestinian judicial system to say its word in the controversial issue of Dahlan.
"Should Fatah or Hamas have any official documents or solid evidence against Dahlan, let them indict him at court," she said. She stressed that she was aware that Dahlan will show up at court to defend himself.
"It is impossible for Dahlan who faces serious corruption and murder charges to remain at large and without a trial for such a long time," she said. "What are we waiting for to put him on trial?" she said, stressing that Dahlan should pay the price for stealing Palestinian public funds if indicted by the Palestinian court.
She stressed that the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has not revoked Dahlan's parliamentary immunity so far, although such a move is within the president's capability as per the Palestinian Basic Law.
Hamas sources at the PLC however said that Abbas cannot sack Dahlan from the PLC and that only a unanimous decision of the Palestinian parliament can get the job done. The sources said that the fate of Dahlan's parliamentary membership will be discussed at the first session of the PLC meeting to take place in the beginning of February.
The Fatah Central Committee sacked Dahlan last June and stripped him from his Central Committee membership, officially cutting off all relationships with him.
Meanwhile, Jordanian authorities have seized all the fixed and liquid assets of Dahlan, his brother and one of his top aids as per a decision taken by the Jordanian Central Bank.
Prime Minister Salam Fayyad's government has four empty chairs after subsequent resignations amid controversy over misuse of funds and crimes against the Palestinian people.
