PREAMBLE

As the cause of Palestine constitutes an important major pivot in the activities of the PUIC and its various organs;

Enhancing the PUIC role in coordination among its members to confront the plans of the Israeli entity which precludes the realization by the Palestine people of their legitimate and inalienable rights to liberation from occupation and the establishment of the Palestine State on the entire soil of Palestine with Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital;

Stressing the attention paid by Muslim Parliaments and peoples to the Palestinian cause and their support to the steadfastness of the valiant Palestinian People and to enabling them to restore their legitimate rights, the PUIC held three Extraordinary meetings in 2009 and 2010 for facing the challenges caused by the Israeli war on Gaza, and adopting a unified Islamic Stance vis-à-vis Israeli continued building of new settlements in the occupied city of Al-Quds, and for lifting the unjust blockade against Gaza;

In implementation of Resolution No.2-PE/7-CONF adopted by the 7th Session of the PUIC Conference, held in Palembang, Republic of Indonesia, on 30 – 31 January, 2012, it has been decided to establish a Standing Parliamentary Committee on Palestine, to be as follows:-

OBJECTIVES

    The Committee shall act to realize the following objectives:-

1.  Supporting Palestinian Parliamentary action with all available capabilities to enable it to shoulder its full responsibilities for achieving its cherished objectives.
2.  Supporting Palestinian Unity at this critical turning point in the history of the Palestinian cause, considered as a safety-valve for the unity of the steadfast Palestinian people in all their constituent categories in order for them to proceed with their legitimate resistance for the recovery of their usurped rights.
3.  Stressing that the Palestinian cause is the core of the Middle East conflict, and must remain the major issue on which the Parliaments of Member States ought to adopt a unified Islamic position in international and regional Fora.
4.  Confronting Israel’s illegal attempts to impose its cultural, political and economic hegemony on the Palestinian society in the occupied territories and adopting appropriate measures, recommendations and decisions on such issues.
5.  Acting to end Israeli practices such as isolating and blockading the Palestinian people, as well as the Israeli’s repressive measures involving assassinations, detention,  demolition of houses, bulldozing of land, establishing settlements and erecting a racist separation wall. Also acting to end the unjust siege imposed by Israel on the steadfast Palestinian people, particularly in Gaza Strip.
6.  Providing a framework for fruitful cooperation and coordination between PUIC Member Parliaments at regional and international levels in matters relating to the cause of Palestine, specially the request to recognize the State of Palestine and to accept it as a full UN member, as well as rejection of Israel’s bid to proclaim the occupied city of Al-Quds as the capital of Israel and the Jewish People.
7.  Following up implementation of resolutions adopted by the PUIC conference, the General Committee, and other international organizations which support or agree with the PUIC position; contacting other organizations; submitting proposals to the Member Parliaments which the Committee deems as appropriate for implementing the resolutions and achieving its objectives; and taking steps on developments which may fall within the terms of reference of the Committee.
8.  Recovering Al-Aqsa Mosque and protecting holy places in the city as well as the cultural, religious and architectural heritage.
9.  Acting immediately to save the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif.
10.  Extending material and assistance in kind to the Palestinian people, institutions and the Maghdsi Palestinians to enable them to maintain their steadfastness.

MEMBERSHIP AND DURATION

ARTICLE ONE:

1.  The Committee shall be composed of 20 members from the PUIC Member States ( the Committee shall include who have been chosen in Palembang Conference, added to them 6 new members plus the country hosting the Committee Meeting).
2.  Other PUIC Member Parliaments may participate in the extraordinary meetings of the Committee without the right to vote.
3. The membership of any parliament in the Committee shall be dropped in case of its absence from attending the meetings of the Committee for two consecutive sessions.    

MEETINGS

ARTICLE TWO:

1.  The Committee shall meet at least once annually on a date and venue to be decided by the Committee.
2.  Any PUIC Member may request holding of an extraordinary meeting. In case of the approval of the majority of the Committee Members, its Chairman shall convene the extraordinary meeting.
3.  The PUIC General Secretariat shall send invitations for the Committee meeting two weeks at least prior to the date of the meeting.

CHAIRMANSHIP

ARTICLE THREE:

1.  At the beginning of the first session, the Speaker of the Parliament of the host country shall be elected chairman of the Committee.
2.  The outgoing chairman of the Committee shall preside the opening session until the election of the chairman.
3.  The Committee shall elect two vice-chairmen from among the heads of delegation and that the First Vice Chairman shall be from Palestine and the second Vice Chairman shall be from other delegations in addition to the rapporteur.
4.  The Bureau of the Committee shall be composed of: Chairman of the Committee, two vice-chairmen and the Rapporteur.

POWERS OF THE CHAIRMAN AND THE BUREAU

ARTICLE FOUR:

1.  Sending invitations for the Committee meetings.
2.  Steering discussions and organizing proceedings of the Committee.
3.  Taking the floor is by permission of Chairman.
4.  Chairman shall decide on all points of order.
5.  Chairman shall give the floor to the members of delegation who wish to exercise the right to reply.
6.  Chairman shall announce at the conclusion of the meeting the recommendations or statements made by the meeting.

 Rapporteur shall prepare reports of the meeting and submit them to the Committee.
 

ARTICLE FIVE:

AGENDA OF THE MEETING

1.  The PUIC General Secretariat shall prepare the draft agenda of the Committee meetings in consultation with the Member Parliaments of the Committee.
2.  The PUIC Secretary General shall send the draft agenda to the Committee members two weeks at least prior to the meeting of the Committee.
3.  Any delegation may submit a proposal for the inclusion of additional item/items to the draft agenda.
4.  The Committee shall adopt its agenda at the beginning of its session.
5.  The extraordinary meeting shall not consider any other item(s) except the item(s) for which it is convened.

DISCUSSIONS

ARTICLE SIX:

The Committee shall discuss only those subjects concerning Palestine affairs.

ARTICLE SEVEN:

The Discussions of the Committee shall be held in public. No session shall be held in camera except by a decision passed by the majority of participating members.

QUORUM

ARTICLE EIGHT:

1.  No meeting shall be held without the attendance by a majority of Members of the Committee.
2.  Quorum shall be obtained on the basis of the number of delegations who actually participate in the first session.

RECOMMANDATIONS

ARTICLE NINE:

1.  The Committee shall adopt its recommendations by mutual consent, if possible, otherwise by a two-thirds majority of members participating in the meeting.
2.  The Committee shall submit its recommendations to the PUIC Conference for adoption.

SECRETARIAT

ARTICLE TEN:

1.  The PUIC Secretary General shall be responsible for organizing the secretariat of the meeting.
2.  The PUIC Secretary General, or the Assistant Secretary General or the representative of the Secretary General may, at any time and upon the request of the Chairman, offer consultation to the Committee on any subject under consideration by the Committee.
3.  The PUIC Secretary General shall refer, as soon as possible, all the documents concerning the meeting to the member parliaments of the Committee.
4.  The PUIC General Secretariat shall circulate the final documents of the meeting to all the Member Parliaments.

EXPENSES OF THE MEETING

ARTICLE ELEVEN:

    The host parliament shall bear all the expenses of the meeting including interpretation and translation of the debates and documents in the three PUIC working languages.

CONCLUSION OF MEETING

ARTICLE TWELVE:

1.  The Committee shall recommend to the PUIC Conference for adoption and amendment of its Rules of Procedure by a majority of two-third of the members present.
2.  Proposals relating to amendment of the Rules of Procedure of the Committee shall be dispatched in writing together with an explanatory note to the PUIC General Secretariat one month prior to the convening of the Committee. The General Secretariat shall send these proposals immediately to all the member parliaments of the Committee.
3.  Request for amending the Rules of Procedure shall be included in the agenda of the Committee meeting.