jewscout
Religious Zionist
Hamas cabinet ministers resign
Palestinian Cabinet ministers from Hamas handed in their resignations late Wednesday, a step toward forming a unity government with the moderate Fatah, a government official said, in hopes of restoring vital foreign aid.
Government spokesman Ghazi Hamad said in a statement that the ministers handed their portfolios over to Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, a Hamas leader.
This is the first procedural step toward formation of the new unity government. The next one would be Haniyeh's handing in his resignation to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, who would then pick a candidate to form a new government - probably Haniyeh.
<snip>
Abbas said earlier Wednesday that he planned to send a Palestinian delegation to the United Nations General Assembly session next week to revive the long-stalled 'road map' peace plan.
"We want to revive the road map at the United Nations," Abbas said during a televised news conference with Polish President Lech Kaczynski in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
"We're all for the restarting of the road map," Israeli government spokeswoman Miri Eisin said, adding that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert spoke about revitalizing the peace plan over the weekend with visiting British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
<snip>
Abbas's decision came two days after Hamas and Fatah agreed to form a unity government. Hamas officials said Tuesday they would not object to Abbas restarting peace talks with Israel.
However, Hamas leaders in the Gaza Strip stressed on Tuesday that the political program of the proposed Palestinian unity government does not include any explicit or implicit recognition of Israel's right to exist.
Shortly after the agreement over the formation of a national unity government was reached, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Fatah officials had said that, as far as they were concerned, Hamas had indirectly recognized Israel.
They explained that the political guidelines of the proposed unity government, which endorsed the decisions of the 2002 Arab summit in Beirut, were tantamount to recognizing Israel's right to exist.
However, a statement issued by Hamas on Tuesday stated: "The political program of the unity government does not contain any explicit or implicit recognition of the legitimacy of the Zionist entity. Nor does it include any concession on Hamas's principles and positions. Hamas will continue to abide by its own program, especially regarding the resistance and the refusal to recognize Israel."
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1157913617249&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull
i fail to see the point of reforming this govt. if the political position of Hamas is not going to change...it's sound and fury signifying nothing IMO
Palestinian Cabinet ministers from Hamas handed in their resignations late Wednesday, a step toward forming a unity government with the moderate Fatah, a government official said, in hopes of restoring vital foreign aid.
Government spokesman Ghazi Hamad said in a statement that the ministers handed their portfolios over to Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, a Hamas leader.
This is the first procedural step toward formation of the new unity government. The next one would be Haniyeh's handing in his resignation to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, who would then pick a candidate to form a new government - probably Haniyeh.
<snip>
Abbas said earlier Wednesday that he planned to send a Palestinian delegation to the United Nations General Assembly session next week to revive the long-stalled 'road map' peace plan.
"We want to revive the road map at the United Nations," Abbas said during a televised news conference with Polish President Lech Kaczynski in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
"We're all for the restarting of the road map," Israeli government spokeswoman Miri Eisin said, adding that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert spoke about revitalizing the peace plan over the weekend with visiting British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
<snip>
Abbas's decision came two days after Hamas and Fatah agreed to form a unity government. Hamas officials said Tuesday they would not object to Abbas restarting peace talks with Israel.
However, Hamas leaders in the Gaza Strip stressed on Tuesday that the political program of the proposed Palestinian unity government does not include any explicit or implicit recognition of Israel's right to exist.
Shortly after the agreement over the formation of a national unity government was reached, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Fatah officials had said that, as far as they were concerned, Hamas had indirectly recognized Israel.
They explained that the political guidelines of the proposed unity government, which endorsed the decisions of the 2002 Arab summit in Beirut, were tantamount to recognizing Israel's right to exist.
However, a statement issued by Hamas on Tuesday stated: "The political program of the unity government does not contain any explicit or implicit recognition of the legitimacy of the Zionist entity. Nor does it include any concession on Hamas's principles and positions. Hamas will continue to abide by its own program, especially regarding the resistance and the refusal to recognize Israel."
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1157913617249&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull
i fail to see the point of reforming this govt. if the political position of Hamas is not going to change...it's sound and fury signifying nothing IMO
