PA unity gov't agreed upon in principle

Hamas and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah have agreed in principle to form a unity government that will not be headed by current Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, officials said on Sunday. 

The groups hope that a unity government will ease sanctions in place on the Palestinian Authority since Hamas' election earlier in the year. 

"We have agreed on the political platform of the new government," said Hamas lawmaker and senior leader Yahya Moussa. "The Hamas movement has also agreed that the next prime minister will not be Haniyeh."

"The choice has been made for the next prime minister," Moussa said. "His name will be presented to President Abbas. A joint committee will be formed to appoint the portfolios and to finalise other details."

Mustafa Barghouthi, an independent lawmaker who has been mediating between Hamas leaders and Abbas, confirmed a tentative deal had been made.

"There is approval to form a new government headed by a new prime minister," he said. "We are preparing for a meeting between President Abbas and Prime Minister Haniyeh very soon."

Hamas representative less optimistic

Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman, was less upbeat. He said an agreement was "imminent", but that important details would have to be worked out by Abbas and Haniyeh.

He did not elaborate, but said Hamas would have the right to form the cabinet and the right to name the prime minister under any deal.

An earlier deal to form a unity government collapsed weeks ago, deepening a power struggle and raising fears of civil war. The main stumbling block has been agreeing the new government's stance toward Israel.

Barhoum reiterated the Hamas movement would never recognize Israel.

Some officials said Abbas was expected to meet Haniyeh in Gaza on Monday. However, in a sign of possible problems, an official in Haniyeh's office said a news conference the prime minister planned would not go ahead due to "technical reasons".