Fayyed To Refuse Position Of PM In Interim Government

Monday June 20, 2011 20:51 by Kevin Murphy - IMEMC & Agencies

Salem Fayyed is to refuse the position of Palestinian interim government PM in the interests of national unity according to sources close to the current PM, reports PNN.

Current Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salem Fayyad will not accept the position of PM in the new unity interim government recently agreed between political rivals Fatah and Hamas, according to Fatah party sources speaking to PNN.

There has been serious disagreement between Fatah and Hamas as to who would take the position of PM in the new interim government according to party insiders.

Fatah have lobbied for Fayyad as PM given his economic record and favorable image in the international community which in turn has secured international aid for the PA.

Hamas have requested a Gazan PM and accuse Fayyed of collaboration with Israeli military forces in the West Bank and in implementing a siege of Gaza, where Hamas is the de facto government.

The announcement of the unity government had been due to go ahead on Tuesday however it has been postponed due to a failure to agree on an interim PM.

Fayyed was instrumental in creating the unity agreement between Fatah and Hamas that ended a four year clash between the groups. The agreement set out to establish an interim government that would pave the way for elections next year for the first time since 2006.

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