Palestinian factions make progress at Mecca summit

Rival Palestinian factions have agreed to give key cabinet posts to independents, overcoming a key stumbling block to a unity government, officials said at summit in Mecca on Thursday.

The sides agreed on the names of two independents for the finance and foreign affairs portfolios, said sources from Hamas and Fatah. The interior ministry will also go to an independent but the two sides have yet to agree on a candidate, they said.

Former culture minister Ziad Abu Amr has been nominated as foreign minister and Salam Fayyad as finance minister, a post he has held before. Hamas and Fatah officials confirmed the names.

Abbas and Saudi King (Photo: AFP)

Jamal al-Shobaki, the Palestinian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said Fatah was waiting for Hamas to suggest a name for the interior ministry post, but the idea of a neutral figure had been agreed upon in principle by both parties.

All three posts have been in Hamas hands since the group won parliamentary elections last year. The Hamas official said Fatah would take five minor cabinet portfolios and Hamas would take eight including economy, labor and justice.

The agreements still need to receive a formal nod from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah, Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, and Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashaal, who are scheduled to meet Thursday evening.

If approved, the agreements could help put an end to infighting that has killed more than 90 Palestinians since December.