MOSCOW, October 2 (RIA Novosti) - The Palestinian government of national unity is set for a reshuffle due to take place early next week, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) told RIA Novosti on Thursday.
An initiative to reform the government, which is made up of Palestine's two main factions Hamas and Fatah, has been proposed by Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah and submitted to the Palestinian Authority's President and PLO leader Mahmoud Abbas.
Abbas, who also leads the Fatah group, welcomed the move and promised to oversee the reshuffle, which is due to start straight after the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha celebrated on October 4-5, Dr. Wasel Abu Yusef, a member of the PLO's executive committee, told RIA Novosti. The PLO is an umbrella political organization that acts as a single voice for the Palestinian people.
Last week, officials from the Fatah and Hamas movements met in the Egyptian capital Cairo to settle a long-standing dispute on the range of powers vested in the national unity government in a bid to increase its efficiency.
In April, Hamas and Fatah reached a deal for the first time in seven years to create a united government and hold general elections. Hamas has held power in the Gaza Strip since 2007, while Fatah has been holding sway in the West Bank.
