Fatah will form government without Hamas
Fatah's Central Committee will form a government composed of PLO factions without Hamas to replace the government of national consensus and prepare for the upcoming legislative elections.
RAMALLAH, West Bank — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced Jan. 29 his acceptance of the resignation of the government of Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah. The government will keep performing its duties until the formation of the new government.
Hamdallah had offered to step down and put his government at the disposal of Abbas, according to a Jan. 28 statement by his spokesman Youssef al-Mahmoud.
On the same day, the Fatah movement had started consultations with PLO factions to form a new government that excludes its political rival Hamas ruling the Gaza Strip.
Fatah's Central Committee held a meeting chaired by Abbas on Jan. 27. It recommended dissolving Hamdallah’s government of national consensus and forming a new government composed of PLO factions and some independent figures. The Central Committee formed a committee that included Fatah leaders to kick off dialogue and consultations with PLO factions on the shape of the new government.
