Fayyad has offered to resign, claim sources

Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority, Salam Fayyad offered his resignation to President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday, following a rift between the two men over government policy, Palestinian sources have claimed.    Abbas is expected to make a decision on Fayyad's resignation after he returns to the West Bank from Jordan on Thursday. There are been no official comment from the prime minister's office on the reports. US-educated economist Fayyad took office on the basis of "national emergency" in June 2007, and was officially reappointed in May 2009 having obtaining approval from the Palestinian Legislative Council. Meanwhile, Palestinian sources have claimed that President Abbas is likely  to announce the date of the presidential, legislative and National Council elections on Thursday. Analysts predict that the current government would remain in place, with some minor changes, before the two Palestinian groups, Hamas and Fatah, name a technocratic government for the transitional period during elections. Some political sources have told Arabstoday that the Palestinian leadership may assign the chairman of Palestine Investment Fund, Mohammad Mustafa, to lead the government until the completion of the Palestinian reconciliation. The sources described President Abbas' recent visit to Qatar as "fruitful," in terms settling disagreements with Hamas. As a result, the announcement of a national unity government is imminent, ahead of the elections.