Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas swore in a new unity
government Saturday evening, with 25 members, including Prime
Minister Ismail Haneya of Hamas, taking oath in Gaza City and
Ramallah.
As Israel prevents Hamas ministers from traveling between the
Gaza Strip and the West Bank, the ceremony was held simultaneously
in the two cities via video conference link.
Haneya and 12 ministers took oath in Gaza City while Deputy
Prime Minister Azzam al-Ahamd took oath in Ramallah with 11
ministers.
Twenty-four members were Muslims and took oath over the holy
book of Quran. In Ramallah, the only Christian minister swore in
over the Bible.
The ceremony was held hours after the parliament overwhelmingly
approved the first coalition government that comprises Hamas and
Fatah rivals.
Israel holds 41 Palestinian legislators, mostly from Hamas, out
of 132 members.
The new government was formed after Hamas and Fatah reached a
power-sharing deal in the Saudi city of Mecca last month, ending
months of fighting that erupted after Hamas took office last
year.
(Xinhua News Agency March 18, 2007)
