Hamas to present new cabinet to Abbas on Sun

Palestinian Prime Minister-designate Ismail Haneya, who is from the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), announced on Saturday that he would present a new Hamas-led cabinet to President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday.

"I will present the cabinet to President Abbas in Gaza on Sunday night and hold talks with him over the new government," Haneya declared at a press conference held in Gaza City.

"Our cabinet is ready and includes Hamas members, independents and technocrats," said Haneya, without revealing the choices for specific portfolios.

Noting that Abbas' Fatah movement and two other Palestinian parties had decided not to join the Hamas-led government, Haneya said that Hamas was still waiting for a final official response from the leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine ( PFLP) on whether to join the cabinet.

"We leave the door open for all the Palestinian factions which has not decided on whether to join the government," he said.

In addition, Haneya voiced confidence for Hamas' leading role in the next government.

"There is no doubt that we will succeed in shouldering our duties and running the Palestinian daily affairs," he said. "The Palestinian people, who trust Hamas, will not starve."

Meanwhile, the Hamas premier-designate also called upon the international community not to cut off aid to the Palestinian people.

"Cutting aid will be a punishment to the Palestinian people who practiced democracy in a fair election," he stressed.

Winning the Jan. 25 legislative elections by a landslide, Hamas, which calls for Israel's destruction, has become the dominant faction in the parliament.

The new Hamas-led cabinet will have to be approved by Abbas before taking office.

Following Hamas' election victory, the Quartet of international mediators-- the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia-- urged Hamas to renounce violence, recognize Israel and accept interim peace deals with Israel.

Abbas also called upon Hamas to open talks with Israel and abide by previous Palestinian-Israeli agreements.

But Hamas has so far rejected the demands.

Source: Xinhua