PA Cabinet to Resign; Fayyad to Select New Ministers

by JPost.com Staff

Ministers within the Palestinian Authority cabinet will offer their resignation on Monday in order to allow PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad to choose new ministers at the request of PA President Mahmoud Abbas, according to a Reuters report citing political sources on Sunday.

Fayyad and other ministers within Abbas's cabinet have long called for the move.

"There will be massive change in the composition of the government," a political source told Reuters. The PA cabinet was established in 1993 as part of interim peace deals with Israel.

"Dr. Fayyad will immediately start his discussion with the factions to form the cabinet," an additional sources said. "Some ministers will keep their portfolios."

Sixteen out of the available 24 posts in Fayyad's cabinet are currently filled. Two ministers have previously resigned and six are isolated in the Gaza Strip. Of the 16 who are currently serving, some face allegations of incompetence.

On Tuesday, the PA announced that it plans to hold municipal elections on July 9. It also announced on Saturday that it will hold elections for president and the parliament by September.

Hamas responded by declaring that it won’t allow the vote to take place in Gaza.

In a statement published Saturday, Hamas said elections could only be held under "national accord,” under which the the PA and Hamas agree to share control of Palestinian-ruled areas.

Original URL: http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=208076

JPost.com Staff

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