Gaza – The Hamas-Fatah dialogue is expected to resume in Gaza on Thursday evening after two days of interruption in the presence of PA chief Mahmoud Abbas who returned to Ramallah last night form a tour of Egypt and Jordan and premier Ismail Haneyya with the discussions expected to focus on naming ministers in the new unity government.
Reliable sources taking part in the talks told the PIC that the negotiators had already determined the number of portfolios to be accredited to each bloc.
They explained that Hamas would nominate nine ministers in addition to the premier Fatah six Falastin Al-Mustakila two Al-Tarik Al-Thaleth two Al-Badil two the PFLP three and five will go to independents that both Hamas and Fatah would nominate according to their percentage in parliament (Hamas has 74 seats while Fatah has 46 seats in the 132-member PLC).
For his part Dr. Mustafa Al-Barghouthi leader of the Falastin bloc who mediated between Fatah and Hamas to form the unity government affirmed that the government would enjoy full authority as a main condition for its formation.
Barghouthi expected that the new government would be declared within days adding that no differences or obstacles were present.