Gaza (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The Palestinian Unity Government has been formed: Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya today presented the President Mahmoud Abbas with a list of ministers and Saturday the Parliament will cast its confidence vote. Presidency Spokesperson Nabil Abu Rdeineh, announced the formation of the new government maintaining that it will “represent the Palestinian people” according to WAFA press agency.
The formation of the executive was reached only after an agreement was made – thanks to Saudi intervention – on February 8th at Mecca between the rival Fatah and Hamas after weeks of bloody conflict. What made the composition of the cabinet all the more difficult was the choice of the new Minister for Internal Affairs. It is a key position, as it controls the territories security forces. According to the Mecca agreement the Ministry must go to an Independent, but Hamas wanted the post. And so it was, but Abbas rejected various candidates and now has agreed to Hani Al-Qawasmeh, a high civil servant from the same ministry. Fatah, instead, chose the Foreign minister Ziad Abou Amr.
In all the new government will have 25 ministries: 10 in theory going to Hamas, 6 Fatah and 9 independents?
The new executives principal tasks will be : to put an end to the political crises and subsequently armed conflicts, to convince the US and Europe to lift economic sanctions on the Authority, imposed following the 2005 election victory of Hamas, defined by the western powers as a terrorist group. In order to obtain these goals, the Quartett (UN, Use, EU and Russia) have placed three conditions: recognition of Israel, acceptance of the international agreement reached by the PLA, even with the Jewish State and the renunciation of all violence. Regarding this, according to two sites, linked to the Hamas group, the new government will “respect” the agreements with Israel, but will continue to support the “resistance”.
So far Israel has not given its’ official reaction to the news, a part from anonymous declarations release by government officials.
Western authorities have also remained quiet.
US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice is due in the Middle East at the end of next week. Rice herself confirmed the trip in a press conference IN Washington with Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni.