The resignation of the Palestinian prime minister in the West Bank, Salam Fayyad, has sparked mixed reactions among Palestinian factions and the public. While some welcomed this move, others were pessimistic about it. A third camp did not pay it much attention and did not care about its repercussions on the PA’s financial status and on the reconciliation with Hamas.

Although Hamas has not expressed a clear position toward Fayyad’s resignation from the government, which it deems “illegal,” the Islamist group considered that this resignation came within the framework of political conflict between Fatah, headed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and Fayyad himself.

Hamas does not consider Fayyad’s government to be its political rival, regardless of the person who represents it. However, it considers any government formed by President Abbas following the split between the West Bank and Gaza Strip to be illegal, since it does not enjoy the confidence of the Palestinian Legislative Council, in which Hamas won the majority.

“Ismail Haniyeh, the prime minister of the Palestinian government, ought to be the legitimate prime minister, as he was granted the confidence of the Legislative Council. Fayyad, on the other hand, has been the prime minister of an illegitimate government. He has been cooperating with the occupation forces and his name has been associated with Gen. [Keith] Dayton,” senior Hamas official Salah Bardawil told Al-Monitor.