GAZA/MOSCOW, April 13 (RIA Novosti) - Palestinian Prime Minister Salaam Fayyad resigned on Saturday after a dispute with President Mahmoud Abbas over the limits of his authority, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa said.
The agency said Abbas had asked Fayyad to remain in his post until a new government can be formed.
Abbas is expected to name a new prime minister within days, according to Palestinian officials cited by the Associated Press. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.
Fayyad had offered his resignation on Thursday, but Abbas did not respond to his offer until Saturday.
His departure could spell trouble for Abbas. Fayyad, a Western-trained economist, is well respected in international circles, and he is expected to play a key role in US efforts to revive peace talks.
As part of that effort, US Secretary of State John Kerry has said he plans to announce a series of measures to boost the West Bank economy in the coming days. Fayyad, a former official at the International Monetary Fund with expertise in development, would be key to overseeing such projects.
Fayyad has served since mid-2007 as prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, the self-rule government that administers roughly 40 percent of the Israeli-controlled West Bank. The 61-year-old political independent has focused his efforts on developing the foundations of an independent Palestinian state.
