Hamas leader Ismail Haneya, the prime minister of the deposed Hamas-led government, is holding intensive consultations to expand his government, well-informed Palestinian sources in Gaza revealed on Saturday.
The sources, who spoke in conditions of anonymity, told a pro-Hamas website that the reason behind the expansion is that nine months had passed since the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip.
"The number of the ministers in the cabinet is small, and they had a heavy responsibility to rule the government over the past nine months after President Mahmoud Abbas deposed it," said the sources.
Haneya's consultations to strengthen Hamas control on Gaza opposes President Mahmoud Abbas' request that Hamas hand over control of Gaza as delegations from the rival factions meet in Yemen for reconciliation talks.
"Prime Minister Haneya offered some Palestinian figures to participate in the government and they have expressed an initial readiness to participate," said the sources.
Hamas beat Abbas' long-dominant Fatah movement in legislative elections held in January 2006, which led to a decision made by the United States and Europe to stop aid to the Hamas-led government.
In an effort to end the Western embargo, Abbas and Haneya agreed to form a national unity government in March 2007, but the government collapsed a few months after Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip.
Source: Xinhua
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