‘Palestinian PM withdraws resignation a day after quitting’

Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah on Friday withdrew his resignation, which he tendered to President Mahmoud Abbas just a day earlier, Ma’an News Agency reported.

Hamdallah, who was sworn in to office two weeks ago, reportedly met with Abbas on Friday afternoon. Though neither Hamdallah’s nor Abbas’s offices made any statements, a high-level government official said Abbas made intensive efforts to persuade Hamdallah not to resign.

The aide said Abbas asked Hamdallah to decide by Saturday if he is serious about resigning.

Hamdallah was said to have originally resigned due to “differences over his authorities.” An unnamed Palestinian government spokesman told the website of independent daily Al-Quds that Hamdallah resigned after “his deputies overstepped their authorities.”

Abbas gave Hamdallah two deputies, one for political and one for economic affairs, apparently to make up for his political inexperience.

Hamdallah, a professor from Bir Zeit University, took over from Salam Fayyad on June 6. Fayyad, who was popular with the West, stepped down after a series of clashes with Abbas.

Hamdallah, from Abbas’s Fatah party, was expected to hew more closely to official Ramallah policy.

Hamdallah’s appointment was seen as a bid by Abbas to consolidate power.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.