Palestine sees four candidates for PM

Independent MP Ziad Abu Amr is the consensus candidate to head the upcoming Palestinian government, supported by Hamas during the legislative elections and accepted among the Fatah community, according to former Political Advisor to the Prime Minister of Gaza Ahmed Yousef. Yousef told the press on Monday that "there are also four independent candidates for the post of prime minister: two nominated by Fatah, President of the Palestinian Investment Fund Mohammad Mustafa from the West Bank, and businessman Mamoun Abu Shahla from Gaza Strip. The candidates of Hamas are the Minister of Communications in the Government of National Unity Jamal Al-khodary from Gaza, and businessman Mazen Sinokrot from the West Bank. " A high level Hamas source said: "Hamas has given the names of 75 candidates for various ministerial positions in order to speed up the selection process, including the prime minister and ministers," adding that "any person will be selected for the new government will not be chosen to run by current members of the two governments in Gaza and the West Bank.” He explained that Hamas still refuses the nomination of the current Prime Minister in Ramallah to head the upcoming government under any circumstances. He asserted that: “This government will not have any political role. It would be limited to the preparation for the upcoming elections and the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. Its role will end after the completion of the elections" Meanwhile, Abbas and Meshaal are scheduled to meet in Cairo soon to discuss the issue of forming a Palestinian government, a meeting that has been postponed to the end of January Abbas's request. This was also due to political considerations related to the deadline granted by the International Quartet by January 26 to achieve progress in negotiations between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, which has so far failed to make any headway.