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Palestine

Population:2514845    Capital:Jerusalem (not officially recognized)    Official URL:http://www.pna.gov.ps/
About: The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13 September 1993, provided for a transitional period not exceeding five years of... read more The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13 September 1993, provided for a transitional period not exceeding five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Abu Mazen was inaugurated as President on 15 January after winning the majority of the vote in the presidential elections, which were held on 9 January 2005. He replaces Yasser Arafat who passed away on 11 November 2004. Ahmed Qurei (Bu Ala'a) continues in his position of Prime Minister, given by the Palestinian Legislative Council in March 2003. The Declaration of Principals and the Interim Agreement signed by Israel and the PLO on 13 September 1993 and 28 September 1995 respectively, left the issue of the status of Jerusalem to be decided in the ‘permanent status' negotiations between the two parties. The Interim Agreement allows for the Palestinians to elect an 88 member self-rule Legislative Council with executive and legislative powers, to serve for five years and to elect a president. The first elections were held in January 1996. The next legislative elections are due on 17 July 2005. In 1981 a Civil Administration was set up to administer the civilian affairs in the region. The Civil Administration was to have been disbanded after the inauguration of the Palestinian Legislative Council in 1996 but many features of it remain in place.