Sources: Abbas, Hamas agree on new PM candidate

Source: Xinhuanet | 11-13-2006 09:06

GAZA, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has accepted a candidate nominated by the Hamas movement to lead a national unity government, the Islamic Online website reported on Sunday, quoting well-informed sources.

The nominee was Mohammed Shbair, former president of the Islamic University in Gaza, who is close to Hamas but not a member.

The website did not elaborate on the sources, but said they were close to Abbas.

The report also quoted Nezzar Rayan, a senior Hamas official in Gaza, as saying that the ruling Hamas movement had agreed with Abbas on a new prime minister.

But Rayan did not clarify who would be the new one.

Meanwhile, Hamas spokesman Ismail Radwan told reporters that his movement had nominated a prime minister candidate close to Hamas and confirmed that Abbas has accepted the candidate.

Shbair, 60, was famous for his academic activities and had been the president of the Hamas-dominated Islamic University for 13years.

Abbas and Prime Minister Ismail Haneya have been engaged in talks for months to form a unity government to replace incumbent Hamas-led one to end the current political and economic crises in the Palestinian territories.

After a general agreement to form a unity government, a committee tasked with outlining the government held its first meeting on Sunday. Senior members of both Hamas and Fatah were present at the meeting.

Editor:Wang Ping