Palestinian prime minister supports coalition

Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah has spoken in favour of the formation of a joint Fatah-Hamas government. The newly elected prime minister expressed his hope that a new cabinet would be formed by August 14, in compliance with the Palestinian Fatah movement and Hamas in Palestine. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced his support for Rami Hamdallah, a British-educated professor of linguistics who has been president of An Najah National University since 1998 and has no prior government experience, shortly before the expiration of a deadline for the appointment. The prime minister appreciated the efforts of his previous office holder and his colleagues in the former government.  He explained that his government’s main focus would be on maintaining political harmony and strengthening the economy. The prime minister insisted that his government would hold the first session of meetings on Tuesday.