Palestinian prime minister-designate Ismail Haniya said on Monday that he expects to unveil a new government formed by his Hamas faction and the moderate Fatah party by the end of next week.
Speaking to his outgoing Hamas-led Cabinet, Haniya said he would continue talks with Palestinian President and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas on Monday and Tuesday with a view to finalising the new Cabinet line-up.
”We are going to continue consultations today [Monday] and tomorrow during the president’s stay in Gaza. But … these consultations are not over and the government will not be announced before the end of next week,” he said.
Under the terms of a February 8 Palestinian power-sharing agreement reached in Saudi Arabia, Hamas will occupy nine Cabinet seats plus the premiership and their erstwhile rivals, Fatah, six.
Hamas will nominate another three ”independent” ministers and Fatah two. The radical Islamist movement will also name an interior minister whose candidature must be approved by Abbas.
Haniya’s outgoing government has been paralysed by a Western diplomatic and economic boycott since it took office last March, owing to its refusal to recognise Israel, renounce violence and abide by past peace agreements.
Abbas tasked Haniya with forming the new Cabinet on February 15. He has five weeks to select the new line-up and win parliamentary approval for a government that Palestinians hope will end international embargoes and deadly infighting. — AFP
