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Jerusalem Post reported yesterday, 3.18, following..

Hamas announces formation of Cabinet

Palestinian Authority sources said Saturday afternoon that PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas was considering resigning from his post, dispersing the PA, and returning control of the territories to Israel.

The statement was an apparent last-ditch effort to convince Hamas to adopt a more moderate stance regarding Israel. Abbas was still expected to approve the makeup of the Cabinet, even though he warned Hamas that their failure to adopt a more moderate platform could hurt Palestinian interests, said Nabil Abu Rdeneh, Abbas' spokesman.

Abbas' office related that he would not veto the Cabinet list, however, once the government is formed, he would strongly urge Hamas to soften their platform, particularly regarding what the terrorist group calls "resistance to the occupation," Israel Radio reported. Abbas aides said Friday the Palestinian leader considers the Hamas platform too vague and wants it rewritten.

The comments came shortly after Hamas officials announced Saturday that they had finished assembling the new Palestinian Authority government, two weeks ahead of schedule, and was to present the new government to Abbas on Sunday. Initially, the list was scheduled to be presented to the PA chairman on Saturday, but the Hamas-Abbas meeting was postponed.

Hamas was expected to retain the key portfolios. According to a preliminary list of Cabinet ministers given to The Associated Press by anonymous officials in Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Mahmoud Zahar would most likely be assigned foreign minister. Said Siyam was expected to head the Interior and Civil Affairs Ministries.

Earlier, the group announced that Omar Abd el-Razek, a professor of economics, and a member of Hamas, would be appointed as the Palestinian Authority's new Finance Minister in the new government. Lower-level postings may be assigned to technocrats, officials said

Although other factions have all turned down Hamas' offer to join the new government, Prime Minister Elect Ismail Haniyeh said his movement had "left the door open" for the PFLP to join the Cabinet.

Hamas cannot present its Cabinet to parliament for approval without backing from Abbas, who was elected separately and wields considerable authority. However, Abbas cannot impose his own Cabinet lineup on Hamas, which swept January parliament elections and controls an absolute majority in the legislature.

It appears that for now, having failed to reach a coalition agreement with other parties, Hamas will sit alone in the government.

Hamas leader in exile Khaled Mashaal said in Damascus on Friday that Hamas' primary objective was to "continue the struggle against Israel." According to Mashaal, assuming power in the PA was of secondary importance for the party and would not "distract Hamas from its main goal."

Mashaal also attacked Abbas's Fatah party for working to establish a Palestinian state on only part of what he called "the occupied territories."

Mashaal promised the Palestinian people that the right of return in entirety would be theirs.

Meanwhile, incoming Palestinian prime minister Ismail Haniyeh said in an interview on CBS on Friday that he never instructed anyone to carry out terror attacks against Israel. He also called on Israel to recognize the Palestinian state.

Haniyeh said that he hoped the time would come when a peace agreement would be signed with Israel. He added that he had no "blood on his hands."

Israel Radio reported that Haniyeh was asked what he would do if one of his children decided to become a martyr. "I would not even consider giving him my blessing", the future Palestinian PM exclaimed.

Haniyeh stressed that in order to bring an end to the cycle of violence, Israel needed to recognize the Palestinian state.

Last Friday, Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that whoever was involved personally and directly in terror is a target for the IDF. "We haven't forgotten that Haniyeh was an aide to Sheikh [Ahmed] Yassin, and that Yassin was targeted because he was involved in terror. So if Haniyeh commits acts of terror, he is opening himself up to the possibility of being targeted. I hope he doesn't."

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