Status of Human Rights in Palestine such elections will have a great impact creating a favorable environment and setting up the atmosphere to end the political divide on the ground, and hold presidential and legislative general elections. The legislative authorities should review the legal amendment made to the law concerning the election of the local councils in 2017 and complete amending of the other legal provisions, in a manner to honor the constitutional human rights stipulated in the Basic Law, such as the right to equality before the law and the judiciary, the right to run for elections and to elect, and the right to resort to the judiciary. 2.1.8.2 The Right to Hold Public Office 30 Variables on the national legal framework in 2017 directly affected the status of public office, represented in the Decree-Law No. 1 of 2017 concerning Amendment of the Civil Service Law No. 4 of 1998 as amended and the Decree-Law No. 11 of 2017 concerning to right to conduct a strike by public servants4, which is ensured by the Basic Law. For example without limitation, strike of public servants was banned, especially in the critical and executive facilities which are related to health, media, justice, presidency, and Cabinet5. The Decree-Law allows the Cabinet or any entity affected by the strike to resort to the High Court of Justice to suspend the strike. The Decree-Law also regulated the litigation proceedings in this respect. The Civil Service Law continued excluding employment in top posts from the conditions of competition and announcement and from subjecting them to the promotion and evaluation conditions and procedures which are applied on the remaining public servants in all other job grades. For such top posts, the hiring, promotion, and evaluation conditions and procedures were not regulated on the basis of merit, equal opportunities, and nondiscrimination, like all other employees. 4 The Palestinian amended Basic Law ensured the right to conduct a strike, under Article (25/4) which states that “The right to conduct a strike shall be exercised within the limits of the law” 5 Article (4) of the Decree-Law bans strike by health professionals, except administrative personnel, the personnel of the presidency, Cabinet, Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation, the judiciary, and Prosecution). 23rd Annual Report 1 January - 31 December 2017