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JERUSALEM, January 24, 2012 (WAFA) - PLO Executive Committee Member, Hanan Ashrawi, strongly denounced the recent arrests of four Palestinian lawmakers, Aziz Dweik, Khaled Abu Arafeh, Mohananed Totah and Abdul Jabbar Fuqaha, said a press release.

'Israel is flagrantly violating international conventions and practices pertaining to the status of the immunity of Palestinian democratically, elected officials,” said Ashrawi.

She added that the arrests are evident that the Israeli government is adopting such calculated means of coercion and power politics to interfere in Palestinian domestic affairs and to undermine democratic institutions in Palestine.

Ashrawi also condemned Israel’s decision to place Dweik in administrative detention for six months, saying “Administrative detention is blatantly illegal and violates due process and the presumption of innocence.”

Israel has breached international humanitarian law and the Fourth Geneva Convention since the forcible transfer and deportation of protected persons in the occupied Palestinian territories is prohibited, said Ashrawi.

“As residents of East Jerusalem, the Palestinian lawmakers are entitled to live and move freely in their own city,” added Ashrawi.

'Negotiations have failed precisely because of Israeli highhanded and oppressive actions such as the detention of Palestinian elected officials,” said Ashrawi.

She called on the Quartet and members of the international community to hold Israel accountable; to ensure the release of Palestinian lawmakers; to refrain from administrative punitive measures including administrative detention; and to safeguard the Palestinian people’s right to live and remain in Jerusalem without being subjected to Israeli draconian, illegal formulations on residency.

R.Q./F.R.