Palestinian PM agrees to stay on, form government

Palestinian officials say  caretaker Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah has decided to remain on the job after being asked on Tuesday by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to remain in office and form a new government, several months after Hamdallah attempted to resign his post.

Hamdallah abruptly quit in June, two weeks after assuming the position, over a conflict of authority with his deputies. Abbas initially asked him to reconsider, but ultimately accepted the resignation and asked Hamdallah to stay on as head of a caretaker government until a replacement was found.

The sources said the men had worked out their differences but details of their agreement were not released.

“Abbas on Tuesday met head of the caretaker government Rami Hamdallah and tasked him with forming a government,” said presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rdeneh, according to official Palestinian news agency WAFA. Hamdallah has five weeks to form a new government.

Abbas appointed Hamdallah, a university dean and political novice, in an apparent move to consolidate power. Hamdallah replaced internationally known economist Salam Fayyad, who had clashed with Abbas.

The prime minister heads the Palestinian Authority, the self-rule government in parts of the West Bank that handles the day-to-day affairs of Palestinians.