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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Hamas cabinet member resigns |
| 2006-09-04 |
| A Hamas minister submitted his resignation to Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh on Sunday amid reports that President Mahmoud Abbas is considering calling early elections for the parliament and the presidency to resolve the ongoing crisis in the PA territories. The resignation of Jamal Khudari, minister of communications and technology, is the first of its kind since Hamas took power last March. Earlier this year, PA Tourism Minister Judeh Murqus resigned after receiving threats from Fatah gunmen in Bethlehem. He withdrew his resignation after receiving assurances that he would not be harmed. In a letter to Haniyeh, Khudari hinted that his decision to quit was related to the failure of Hamas and Abbas's Fatah party to reach an agreement on the formation of a national-unity government. Abbas and Haniyeh held five meetings in Gaza City over the past few days to discuss the national-unity government, but failed to reach an agreement. "It is our wish, and that of all Palestinians, to see a national-unity government," Khudari wrote. "To support this effort, which undoubtedly requires that some ministers leave their posts, I place at your disposal the portfolio of Communications and Technology with the hope that you would succeed in uniting our people." The resignation is seen as a serious embarrassment for Hamas and the Haniyeh government. PA officials in Ramallah said they saw the resignation as marking the beginning of the end of the Hamas-controlled government. "Let's hope they will all resign and return to their homes," said a senior official in Abbas's office. "This government is a catastrophe and it is responsible for the economic and political deterioration in the Palestinian territories." Another PA official said he expected more ministers to submit their resignations soon. "This proves that there are people in Hamas who don't support its agenda," he said. "Hamas must start listening to these voices that are coming from within its own camp." The resignation comes one day after PA civil servants declared an open-ended strike in all government institutions, including schools and universities. The strike was organized by several Fatah-run unions, a fact that prompted Hamas leaders to talk about a "conspiracy" by Fatah and Abbas to bring down Haniyeh's government. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 Don't leave now. You're next on the list.Har Har Har. |
| Posted by: SOP35/Rat 2006-09-04 02:05 |
| #1 Skipping town just ahead of the "President Mahmoud Abbas is considering calling early elections" He might as well - most of this "parliament" is in Israeli jails. Where they belong. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2006-09-04 00:26 |