Fatah and Hamas officials are scheduled to meet in Gaza City on Monday to hold talks on an emerging national unity government. Meanwhile, sources said the former head of Gaza's Islamic University was a leading candidate for the post of prime minister.
Dr. Mohammed Shubair, 60, however, said he had not been officially designated. Shubair, who has a doctorate in microbiology from the University of West Virginia, is considered to be close to Hamas.
Shubair studied pharmacy in Alexandria, Egypt and later received a Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of West Virginia. After returning to Gaza he worked for the Islamic University. He was appointed head of the medical school and then dean before becoming university president in 1993.
Hamas and Fatah hope that Shubair will be acceptable to the international community and would help convince the West to lift economic sanctions that have crippled the Hamas-led cabinet since it took power in March.
Hamas is likely to have 11 or 12 ministers, while Fatah will have to settle for between five and seven ministers.
Palestinian sources emphasized that the entire enterprise of putting together a cabinet of technocrats still depends on the U.S. willingness of the to lift the economic sanctions placed on the PA.
