Hundreds of Palestinian lawyers took to the street to protest against Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas for continuing to govern without a parliament, in what the protesters are calling rule by decree. The protest is being led by the Palestinian Bar Association. They are protesting against legislation enacted by presidential decree that has limited Palestinian rights and freedoms, the AFP reported.
The demonstrators were prevented by Palestinian police from marching, wearing their black robes, to office of PA Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, according to the report.
Abbas was elected to a five-year term in 2005 and remains in power. The Palestinian Legislative Council, which serves as the Palestinian parliament, has been inactive since 2007 and was officially dissolved by Abbas in 2018. Abbas reportedly has issued about 400 presidential decrees during his tenure.