Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas Political Bureau Chief Khaled Meshaal will discuss the formation of a new government at their planned meeting in Cairo, a Hamas leader said on Wednesday.
The two leaders plan to meet on 25 November. In an interview with the Egyptian state-run news agency MENA, Hamas leader Ismail Radwan emphasized the importance of national consensus regarding the new government.
Hamas has not proposed names for the premiership, Radwan said, but added it is ready to provide suggestions if asked.
Radwan said the meeting will constitute a blow to Israel's plans and a step toward protecting Palestinian national interests.
Israel is always wary of a possible Hamas-Fatah rapprochement and persistently seeks to hamper Palestinian reconciliation, Radwan said.
Another Hamas leader, Salah al-Bardaweel, said the formation of a government would facilitate work on other issues, particularly security, elections and social reconciliation.
Bardaweel said Hamas opposed the appointment of Salam Fayyad as prime minister since the signing of the reconciliation pact in May, and insisted that an agreement be reached on all matters.
Meanwhile, Fatah spokesperson Fayez Abu Eita said the future Palestinian government should be primarily technocratic.
Abu Eita said the choice of prime minister will be determined at the meeting between Abbas and Meshaal.
MENA said the prime minister is expected to be either Moneeb al-Masry, a famous Palestinian businessman; Mohamed Mostafa, head of the Palestine Investment Fund; or Mamoun Abu Shahla, another businessman.
The May reconciliation pact, signed in Cairo, aimed to end divisions between Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas.
The agreement stipulated the formation of a government composed of independent figures who will prepare for the elections and deal with complications resulting from the division.
The pact also included Gaza’s reconstruction, ending the blockade imposed on it, and uniting the Palestinian Authority’s institutions in Gaza with those in the West Bank.
However, Fatah and Hamas have disagreed over how to implement the agreements, despite several meetings about them. Fatah insists on nominating current Prime Minister Salam Fayyad to the next government, but Hamas rejects that idea.
