The ongoing events in Gaza amount to genocide that must be stopped, and the leaders of the occupation must be held accountable.

• We will not allow the imposition of parallel entities outside the national framework; our LGUs are not a testing ground for the projects of the occupation.
• Amending the legal framework governing LGU work is now an urgent necessity that cannot be postponed.
• Empowering LGUs within a decentralized framework is a national necessity to both confront crises and strengthen resilience.
• The ongoing events in Gaza constitute a war of genocide that must be stopped, and the leaders of the occupation must be held accountable.

Based on their genuine national role and legitimate representative status, Palestinian LGUs affirm that they have never been mere service agencies. Rather, they have been and will remain one of the pillars of the national project and an inseparable part of its political and social fabric. They have been at the forefront of those who resisted attempts to undermine it and at the heart of those who safeguarded its foundations on the ground, representing a legitimate institutional presence and a direct connection with the people. From this position, the role of LGUs extends beyond service delivery to include protecting national unity, preserving identity, confronting all attempts to dismantle the Palestinian national project, and building an independent State with Jerusalem as its capital under Palestinian legitimacy.

Amid the escalating Israeli aggression against our people, including the ongoing genocide in Gaza, systematic displacement and settlement expansion in the West Bank, broader schemes are becoming evident. These do not target land alone but also seek to dismantle the internal structure of the Palestinian political and social system. To this end, they promote alternative entities outside the national framework, in a desperate attempt to revive liquidation projects that bypass the unified representative framework of our people. In this context, the Association of Palestinian Local Authorities (APLA) warns against the dangers of recent occupation narratives, such as the so-called “Hebron Emirate,” undermining of refugee camps and the refugee issue, forced displacement, annexation, and other liquidation projects. APLA affirms that these proposals are rejected both nationally and popularly.

Grounded in their essential role, LGUs reaffirm that their powers are a cornerstone that cannot be undermined or weakened. APLA stresses that amending the legal framework governing LGU functions has become an urgent necessity that must not be delayed. It requires a participatory process to develop the relevant laws and regulations, foremost among them the LGU Law, Public Procurement Law, and other related legislation, within a defined timeframe.

In light of this clear emphasis on the need to safeguard the legal powers of LGUs and develop the legislative framework regulating their work and guaranteeing their independence, APLA has decided to establish a set of specialized committees that emerge from the Administrative Board as a practical step to implement this direction and translate it into a structured institutional process. These committees will review existing legislation and practices, defend LGU powers, and regulate relations with the central government on the basis of balance, complementarity, and reform. The committees have been mandated to follow up on priority files for LGUs. These include the Committee on Financial Relations with Government, Telecommunications Companies Committee, Energy Legislation Committee, Water Utilities Committee, Electricity Services Committee, and Crisis Management Committee. 

Accordingly, APLA affirms that moving towards decentralization represents a strategic choice that must be adopted and put in place to establish Palestinian local governance as a central actor in the national equation. APLA stresses the importance of developing a clear national framework for implementing decentralization based on a specific timeline, anchored in robust legal and administrative foundations, and supported by needed resources. This would strengthen local decision-making autonomy and enable LGU councils to manage their affairs effectively, responsibly, and transparently along the lines of sound local governance. It would also enhance the level and quality of services provided to citizens, reflecting the weight of responsibilities placed on LGUs in the face of compounding crises.

Issued by APLA Administrative Committee at the conclusion of the LGU Mayors Forum in Palestine, held in the city of Jericho under the auspices of His Excellency President Mahmoud Abbas. 

Jericho, Palestine – September 1, 2025