Palestinian PM Submits Resignation After 2 Weeks

The new Palestinian prime minister submitted his resignation to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday, after two weeks on the job, because of a conflict over authority.

It was unclear if Rami Hamdallah, a former university dean, would step down or was using the threat of resignation to obtain more powers from Abbas.

Hamdallah’s move signaled disarray in the Palestinian Authority, the self-rule government in parts of Yehudah and Shomron, and is potentially embarrassing for Abbas.

Abbas received the resignation and will consider it, said Nabil Abu Rdeneh, an adviser to the president.

The prime minister heads the Palestinian Authority which handles day-to-day affairs of Palestinians.

Hamdallah took office June 6 after unexpectedly being plucked by Abbas from a career in academia to replace internationally known Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, who resigned in April. Abbas gave Hamdallah two deputies, one for political and one for economic affairs, apparently to make up for his lack of political experience.

Hamdallah’s office said Thursday that he submitted his resignation to Abbas because of a “conflict over authority,” but did not elaborate.

Abbas had frequently clashed with Fayyad, a political independent who served for six years and was respected by the West as a pragmatist. Leading figures of Abbas’ Fatah movement clamored for Fayyad to be replaced, arguing that the prime minister should be close to Fatah. Hamdallah’s appointment was seen as a bid by Abbas to consolidate power.

This article appeared in print on page 8 of the June 21st, 2013 edition of Hamodia.