19 Chapter One The Political Environment and Its Impact on Human Rights Political Factors The political environment which has impacted on the human rights situation during 2010 was relatively similar to that of the previous year. The political and geographical divide between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip continued, largely due to the failure of the reconciliation efforts between Fatah and Hamas, as did the Israeli occupation’s repressive measures and policies against the civilians of Palestine, occupied in 1967, particularly in East Jerusalem. Both Fatah and Hamas have used the internal political separation to their advantage in the past few years through disrupting the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), delaying elections, confiscating public rights and freedoms, and justifying the practices committed in contravention of the Palestinian Basic Law. While the Palestinian security agencies were successful in ending vigilantism, they did not loosen their grip over public rights and freedoms. Indeed, it is possible to say that the year 2010 witnessed an almost systematic campaign against the freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, as well as against civil society organizations in general and human rights organizations in particular. In addition to such violations, the practice of torture, arrest and/or arbitrary detention in the West Bank and Gaza Strip continued. ICHR believes that the restoration of basic freedoms and respect for human rights and democratic values through holding legislative and presidential elections is a major pillar of a stable future for all Palestinians, especially in light of the current environment where the voices for reform, change, democracy, combating corruption and respect for human rights are being raised not only in Palestine, but also in the rest of the Arab world. The ICHR is founded on a mandate for monitoring human rights violations in Palestine, and forwarding its analysis of the legal and political environment surrounding rights and freedoms as well as their relationship to the two Governments in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. However, neither Government has obtained the PLC’s confidence.