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Palestine | InternationalAbbas appoints new Palestinian PM
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has appointed a new prime minister, a day after dissolving the Hamas-led unity coalition, officials say. Former Finance Minister Salam Fayyad, an independent, has been asked to take over and form an emergency government.
The move comes amid political upheaval in Gaza, where Hamas has taken control after routing Fatah rivals. But Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniya has said he will ignore Mr Abbas' decision to dismiss the government. An uneasy calm has returned to the Gaza Strip after a week of fierce fighting between members of Mr Abbas' Fatah movement and Hamas, which has claimed at least 100 lives. On its first day of rule, Hamas said it had released several top Fatah military commanders under a prisoner "amnesty". Relative calm On Friday, vehicles returned to the roads and shops were open in Gaza. Few armed men were visible on the streets and there were reports of only sporadic gunfire. More http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6756079.stm |
Fayyad, who is well-respected by the international community, would replace Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, who was fired by Abbas on Thursday, after Hamas took control of Gaza by force.
Abbas aide Nabil Amr told the Al Jazeera satellite TV station that Fayyad had been selected as Haniyeh's successor.
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http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/871314.html