By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has directed that a proposed constitution for a future Palestinian state be made public, the PA’s official news agency WAFA reported.

The initial drafts claim that Jerusalem is the center of its state and appear to support the “pay for slay” policy of providing money to terrorists and their families.

The preamble frames the constitution as part of a broader struggle against what it describes as “colonial settlement occupation,” “ethnic cleansing,” and “genocide” in Gaza and the West Bank.

The Jerusalem Post notes that the draft constitution asserts Palestinian claims to Jerusalem, designating the city as the capital and national symbol of the state. It describes it as the political, spiritual, cultural, and educational center.

The text commits the state to safeguarding Islamic and Christian holy sites and declares that any actions altering Jerusalem’s “character or historical identity” are null and void under international law.

The document does not reference Jewish historical or religious connections to the city.

Several articles address welfare obligations of the state, mandating financial and social support for families of “martyrs, wounded, and prisoners,” as well as individuals released from prison.

These provisions, especially with the mention of “martyrs,” appear to codify the Palestinian Authority’s existing policy of providing stipends to families of convicted terrorists and terror suspects, often referred to by critics as “pay-for-slay.”

Under the draft, Islam is designated as the official religion, with Islamic Sharia identified as the primary source of legislation. Christianity is accorded a protected status, while Judaism is not mentioned. The proposed charter requires the president, upon taking office, to “swear by God Almighty,” and assigns Sharia-related matters to Sharia and religious courts.

Despite its religious framework, the draft includes provisions guaranteeing equality before the law and banning discrimination on personal grounds, including religion.

It also affirms freedom of belief and the right to practice religious rites for followers of monotheistic religions, including the establishment of houses of worship.

Hamas official Bassem Naim rejected the draft, calling it “a violation of the noble rights of our Palestinian people,” according to Israel’s public broadcaster KAN News.

The constitution was prepared by a 16-member drafting committee chaired by Mohammad al-Haj Qassem. WAFA said Abbas’s decree invites written comments and proposed amendments within 60 days of publication.