Palestinian PM steps down; New government to form soon

Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Al-Hamdallah resigned on Tuesday along with his national unity government that was formed in 2014.

President Mahmoud Abbas confirmed to have accepted the resignation letter of Hamdallah and the government is to function until the new one is formed.

He said, “The president will begin consultation to form a political government made up by factions of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) that will prepare for the holding of new parliamentary election.”

Lately Abbas has been facing pressure of replacing the government with new which is to have PLO factions and independent members.

The PM had been dealing a blow to faltering reconciliation efforts with Hamas, the Islamist rulers of Gaza, which condemned the stepping down move saying it is an attempt to marginalize and exclude them from Palestinian politics.

Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007 and Hamdallah led the West Bank-based Fatah’s reconciliation efforts with them.

Two years ago both signed a reconciliation deal that planned taking control of coastal enclave’s crossing points into Israel and Egypt, and to resume government in Gaza.

However, disputes emerged over policy and power sharing toward Israel and the plan was not implemented.