Status of Human Rights in Palestine Notwithstanding the declaration of Palestinian reconciliation, the decision issued by the former Minister of Interior in the deposed government in Gaza continued in force. Such decision bans all the civil servants (objectors) from holding memberships in the general assemblies of the charity associations and nongovernmental agencies, or serving as employees or board members therein. No board of directors of the said associations is approved if it contains any of the objector employees among its members, which is a severe restriction of the right to form and join associations. 28 In line with its vision to boost the right to form charity associations, ICHR recommended cancellation or amendment of the Decree-Law No. 11 of 2017 concerning regulating the right to conduct strike in public posts, to ensure the right to conduct strike. It also recommended lifting the restrictions imposed on the funding of nonprofit companies, and that the MOI should suspend requesting security check to register the charity associations, being an illegal condition that levies unjustified restrictions on the right to form associations and unions. 2.1.8 The Right to Political Participation and to Hold Public Office 2.1.8.1 The Right to Run for Elections and to be elected ICHR has a positive view of the elections of local councils announced in 2016, especially as they were announced in the West Bank and Gaza Strip at the same time, and the announcement made by most of the political parties that they will participate in these elections, and nominate the lists of candidates, especially Fatah and Hamas Movements, being the parties to the divide, and due to the importance of such elections if they are conducted in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in parallel, making it the first elections to be held in both divisions of the State. Such elections are also important because they prepare the general atmosphere for the presidential and legislative general elections. Upon monitoring of the election process by ICHR and reviewing of the data of the number of male and female candidates and candidate lists, ICHR believes that the citizens demonstrated adequate participation by the male and female candidates running for elections to join the local councils 23rd Annual Report 1 January - 31 December 2017