24 committee formed by the PNA submitted its report to the UN7, and so did the committee formed by the Government in Gaza8. The Palestinian Investigation Committee in the West Bank concluded with a number of recommendations and conclusions, most of which reflected the conclusions reached by the International Commission, especially those which linked most of the detentions to the Palestinian internal political situation. It noticed that arbitrary detention is practiced due to the political divide, the result of which is the existence of two authorities, one in the West Bank and the other in the Gaza Strip. The detentions carried out in the West Bank targeted the affiliates and supporters of the Hamas movement, as well as the affiliates of the political forces allying with and supporting it. Accordingly, the detentions carried out in the Gaza Strip targeted the affiliates and supporters of the Fatah movement, and affiliates of political forces allying with and supporting it. It also concluded that neither the law enforcement bodies in the West Bank, nor those of the Government in Gaza respect or take into consideration due process during arrest and detention. They subject detainees to torture and other patterns of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment as an instrument to extract confessions from them and information about others. It also noticed that the law enforcement officers of the security agencies in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip do not respect the effective laws which stipulate that a detainee must be brought before the regular Public Prosecution according to the provisions of the Palestinian Code of Criminal Procedures. Further, they bring civilian detainees before military courts, and the security agencies in the West Bank turned a blind eye, in many cases, to the decisions of the regular courts9. II. Ongoing Political Divide between the West Bank and Gaza Strip Despite ongoing efforts exerted by different domestic, Arab and international parties and the aspiration of the Palestinians to achieve reconciliation between judges and lawyers to consider the accusations from the report of the International Fact Finding Commission. It also contained a primary report from the judicial committee. 7 To read the report, see http://www.picigr.ps/details_ar.php?id=w70cfoa2724y9qutbmrpg 8 On January, 27, 2010, the Minister of Justice of the Government in Gaza announced that the committee submitted its report to the UN. To read the report, see http://www.alquds.com/node/232857 9 To read the report from the Palestinian Independent Investigation Committee, see http://www.picigr.ps/details_ar.php?id=w70cfoa2724y9qutbmrpg.