GAZA, March 18 - Hamas on Saturday completed forming a Palestinian cabinet
that will put loyal members of the Islamic militant group in charge of key
ministries, including interior, foreign affairs and finance, Hamas officials
said.
More moderate factions, including President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah movement,
refused to form a government with Hamas.
Hamas's inability to win coalition partners and its decision to appoint its
own members to the three key ministries could bolster U.S. and Israeli efforts
to isolate the new government diplomatically and economically.
"Hamas has ended the formation of the government. The cabinet is ready to be
presented to President Mahmoud Abbas in a meeting to be agreed with him," Hamas
official spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters.
He said Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas's prime minister designate, would make the
announcement at a news conference in Gaza at 1600 local (1400 GMT), although the
group does not plan to unveil its line-up publicly before presenting it to
Abbas.
Abbas was expected to meet with Hamas leaders in Gaza on Saturday but the
timing of that meeting could change.
Abbas could object to Hamas's line-up, triggering a constitutional crisis.
Hamas holds an outright majority in the Palestinian parliament.
Abbas's Fatah faction decided not to join the government because the surprise
winner of the January 25 election refused to accept interim peace deals and to
commit to seeking a negotiated settlement with Israel.
Fatah and the other factions were also under U.S. pressure not to join.
Only the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, whose leader was
seized this week by Israeli forces from a West Bank prison, was still
considering joining the government with Hamas, although it was unclear if a deal
would be reached.
According to sources close to the deliberations, Hamas has decided to name
Omar Abdel-Razeq, a prominent West Bank economics professor and Hamas election
official, to the post of finance minister.