The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has censured the statement of some Palestinian civil society organizations (CSOs) published on Tuesday 6/10/2015 titled: "Press Release in Response to the Prime Minister’s Statement on CSOs’ Work"; particularly as it was issued at a time when our people are in dire need for unity and rejection of all disputes in the face of unprecedented escalation in violence by the Israeli soldiers and settlers against our people and holy places, especially Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The PMO emphasizes that the Prime Minister's statements, in which he highlighted on a number of occasions, either violations or suspicions of corruption in some CSOs, were taken out of context and do not generalize all CSOs. However, the latest CSOs’ statement implied generalization by the Prime Minister in an effort to steer the government and public attention from those organizations violating the law and distracting the government’s effort to fight corruption, wherever it is found, and to bring those who misuse public money to justice.

Prime Minister’s Hamdallah stressed on many occasions that his government will always be accountable to all regulatory and monitoring authorities as well as to civil society institutions, but at the same time, these institutions must also be accountable. Mutual accountability and true democracy are what this government seeks in order to ensure transparency, integrity and accountability of all Palestinian governmental and non-governmental institutions. The Prime Minister has repeatedly stressed that no one is above the law, and anyone who works with public money would be subject to accountability, public oversight and monitoring. During this process the government will always be careful not to infringe on civil rights and liberties and will seek to strengthen democratic principles within the Palestinian society.

Hamdallah’s government assumes its legal and moral responsibility and monitors all CSOs and nonprofit companies according to the existing laws and regulations. CSOs and nonprofit companies are not the only entities subject to oversight and monitoring but all governmental institutions alike by the State Audit & Administrative Bureau and the Anti-Corruption Commission. Transparency and accountability apply to all institutions and is not in any way against the independence of the CSOs or the nonprofit companies.

The Prime Minister's Office stresses the historical and important national role of the Palestinian civil society organizations, before and after the establishment of the Palestinian National Authority. They have been strong supporters to the PLO and continue to be instrumental partners to the government in developing national plans and strategies and providing services to the Palestinian people. Hamdallah’s government has been and continues to be supportive to the work of the civil society organizations and continuously seeks true partnership between the government and the CSOs. In this spirit, the government calls on those organizations who signed the latest statement to revisit their hasty position that was not based on legal or factual basis or any official actions or instructions issued by the Government or by the Prime Minister.