Fatah wants to keep Prime Minister Salam Fayyad as the head of a Palestinian unity government, an official said on Sunday. However, Fatah's rivals Hamas has rejected the move. The central committee of Fatah, presided over by president Mahmud Abbas, agreed at a Saturday night meeting to back Fayyad, AFP reported.
On Sunday, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri reiterated his movement's opposition to Fayyad. "Hamas informed Fatah during the last meeting of its rejection of the choice of Salam Fayyad to head the new government," Zuhri told AFP.
In a statement released by Hamas, senior official in Gaza Strip Salah Bardawil reiterated that position. "It is certain that we will not accept Fayyad either as the head of the government or as a minister in that government because of the four years of siege, arrests and torture of Hamas leaders and members linked to the name of Salam Fayyad," he said.
