PM Fayyad reaches agreement with Abbas

Palestinian officials have informed 'Arabstoday' that Palestinian Prime Minister Dr. Salam Fayyad's call for different Palestinian factions to agree on a new prime minister has come as a result of a mutual agreement between him and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas. Sources added that the request came about as a result of pressure from both Fateh and Hamas, who are trying to put an end to their differences ahead of a meeting between their respective political leaders Khaled Meshaal and Abbas scheduled in Cairo next week. The new developments are seen by many as a concession by Abbas that he is no longer insisting on naming Fayyad as PM for a new unity government which Hamas, Fateh and other Palestinian factions would agreed to form, which was seen as an obstacle to reconciliation. Fayyad said in a statement that reconciliation should be achieved and that it was time to put aside differences. "I will never personally be an obstacle to achieving a goal such as this," he said.