Hamas and Fatah movements are nearing an agreement over the members of the government to be announced by President Mahmoud Abbas, on Thursday, in Ramallah. Nevertheless, senior Fatah officials claim negotiations over the names of the 15 personalities to make up the new government have not concluded yet.
According to Ma’an News, sources in the negotiations claim Rami Hamdallah is likely to become Minister of Interior, while current Minister of Finance Shukri Bishara is likely to keep the finance portfolio. The portfolio of foreign affairs will either be given to current minister Riyad al-Maliki or to Ziad Abu Amr, who will also be deputy prime minister.
Azzam al-Ahmed, the head of Fatah’s delegation, said that he expected Abbas to announce the government on Thursday, in Ramallah, after consulting with other Palestinian factions and forces. He vowed that there will be no backtracking on the reconciliation regardless of intimidation campaigns.
The Hamas-led government in Gaza announced its readiness to hand over its responsibilities to the consensus government.
He stressed that the new government should work on lifting the siege on Gaza the soonest.
Details at AIC.
