Palestinian president Abbas forms a new caretaker government also headed by Fayyad, Hamas rejects it as unconstitutional 

Saturday July 14, 2007 15:08 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News ghassanb at imemc dot org

The Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas formed a new Palestinian caretaker government that replaced an emergency cabinet which expired on Friday midnight, Palestinian officials reported.

President Abbas fired Isma'el Hanniyah of Hamas and his National unity elected government and formed the emergency cabinet a month ago after Hamas had taken total control of the Gaza strip.

Late on Friday afternoon On Friday Abbas swore in three new ministers and reappointed Salam Fayyad as prime minister after he formally resigned from the emergency government.

The Palestinian basic of the Palestinian Authority, allow the Palestinian president to announce a state of emergency for 30 days only and he can not extended it unless he takes the approval of the Palestinian legislative council. The mandate of the emergency government expired on Friday.

On Saturday Hamas denounced the new government and the movement's officials called unconstitutional

Palestinian parliament, dominated by Hamas, was unable to convene for the past month. All Hamas legislators in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip boycotted on Wednesday a Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) session called by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Fateh slammed Hamas and said that the movement is obstructing the conducts of the council. The session was the opening one for the new term of the PLC.

Hamas movement boycotted the session both in Gaza and the West Bank in protest to dissolving the unity government headed by Ismail Haniyya. This week Hamas Parliamentary bloc called for the Palestinian parliament section this Sunday.

The new caretaker government and Mahmoud Abbas only control the West Bank as Hamas still control the costal region.

Hamas has recently lost majority in the Palestinian parliament since most of its MPs were kidnapped by the Israeli army during campaigns targeting the movement's leadership in the West Bank.

Specking to Al Jazeera English website Azzam Al Ahmed, a politician from Abbas's Fatah movement, said that because neither side can muster a majority in parliament, "This government will continue running the country until the crisis is solved".

Fayyad resigns and Abbas asks him to form new government 

Saturday July 14, 2007 14:10 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies saed at imemc dot org

Head of the Palestinian Emergency Government, Dr. Salaam Fayyad, submitted his resignation on Saturday and was immediately assigned by President Mahmoud Abbas to form a new government as he was appointed as the head of the interim government.

Palestinian Minister of Information, Mahmoud Habbash, stated that Abbas asked Fayyad to keep his current government and issued a decree asking him to form a normal government.

According to the basic Palestinian Law the emergency government cannot be extended for more than one month unless it receives the approval of the Legislative Council.

Friday marked the end of the month given to the emergency government but the legislative council is non-functional due to the Israeli siege and the dispute between Hamas and Fateh.

Hamas movement insists on the legitimacy of the National Unity government which is effectively unable to perform its duties as a result of the embargo and the situation in the Gaza Strip.

President Abbas also appointed three new ministers who conducted the swear-in process in front of him and Fayyad at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah.

The three ministers are Ibrahim Ebrash, as the Minister of Culture, Ali Khashan as the minister of Justice, and Tahani Abu Doqqa, as the minister of Youth and Sport. The government now includes thirteen ministers headed by Fayyad.

The emergency government was formed after Abbas dissolved the unity government headed by prime minister of Ismail Haniyya of Hamas in June 14.

Meanwhile, Haniyya, who still considers himself the prime minister, said on Friday during a speech in one of Gaza mosques that Abbas did not seek the approval of the legislative council.

Haniyya also said that Hamas is renewing its call for talks with all factions in order to end the internal tension. He stated that Hamas wants dialogue but without any preconditions from Abbas or any faction. He added that the current conditions endanger the establishment of the Palestinian state.

Hamas rejected the decision of Abbas and said that the government headed by Ismail Haniyya is the only legitimate government.

Dr. Ismail Radwan, Hamas media spokesperson, stated that the government of Haniyya is the emergency government in accordance to the basic Palestinian law and that Hamas is willing to hold talks with all factions.

He added that “Abbas and the militias of Fateh” rejected any talks with Hamas.

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