From PCHR:
The Palestinian centre for Human Rights (PCHR) renews its opposition to the anti-democratic policy of local government council members being privately appointed in the Gaza Strip. The Centre views these appointments as a continuation of nepotism, at the expense of democratic local council elections that have been conducted in most Gaza Strip communities during the last few years.
The Ministry of Local Government (of the Hamas Gaza Government) announced a decision last week to dismiss the appointed municipality council in Khan Yunis, headed by Dr. Fayez Abu Shammala. The appointment of a new council, headed by Mohammad Abd El-Khaliq El-Farra and comprising of twelve others, all of them Hamas members, was announced. The new council began operating on 7 June 2008, after an official inauguration ceremony organized by the municipality.