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| Palestinian PM Fayyad steps down | Palestinian PM Fayyad steps down |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad has submitted his resignation to President Mahmoud Abbas, he said in a statement. | Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad has submitted his resignation to President Mahmoud Abbas, he said in a statement. |
| The move comes ahead of power-sharing talks between Mr Abbas and his rivals Hamas, who control the Gaza Strip. | The move comes ahead of power-sharing talks between Mr Abbas and his rivals Hamas, who control the Gaza Strip. |
| Mr Fayyad's resignation will pave the way for the formation of a national unity government, which is hoped for by the end of March. | Mr Fayyad's resignation will pave the way for the formation of a national unity government, which is hoped for by the end of March. |
| The move is being seen as conciliatory, as Hamas had demanded his departure. | |
| Delegations from Fatah and Hamas, as well as other Palestinian groups, have set up committees to look at forming a unity government and holding elections. | |
| The new government would also co-ordinate the rebuilding of Gaza. | |
| FATAH-HAMAS RIVALRY January 2006 - Hamas wins Palestinian Authority legislative electionMarch 2006 - Hamas government sworn in. US and EU suspend tiesFebruary-March 2007 - Fatah and Hamas agree to form coalition to end growing factional warfareJune 2007 - Hamas seizes control of Gaza from Fatah after continued fighting. Unity government dissolved, Israel tightens blockade of Gaza Strip Gazans seek end to bitter split The divisions between Fatah and Hamas have been seen as one of the stumbling blocks to progress towards an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal. | |
| Mr Fayyad - a former World Bank economist - says his resignation will take effect following the formation of the unity government by the end of March. | |
| Analysts say the desire on the part of Palestinians to achieve reconciliation between their divided leaderships has grown more acute since Israel's three-week military offensive in Gaza, which ended on 18 January. |