Palestinians say talks underway to form unity government

RAMALLAH, Palestine

The Palestinian Authority (PA) is holding talks with factions to form a national unity government following the postponement of elections, Palestinian officials said on Saturday.

PA spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh told the official Palestine Radio that the path after delaying the polls “is to hold talks with the factions, a national unity government, strengthen the [role of] the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and to hold a meeting for the Central Council to set the policies and strategies”.

The Central Council is a body affiliated with the PLO's National Council that includes all Palestinian factions except Hamas and Islamic Jihad groups.

"Talks will be with all factions [...], talks started yesterday and efforts are underway," Abu Rudeineh said, but without providing further details.

Meanwhile, PLO's Executive Committee member Ahmed Majdalani said "talks will take place within few days with all groups to form national unity government”.

Majdalani added that in recent days, both Fatah and Hamas groups discussed the issue of forming a government and the postponement of the elections.

On Friday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree to postpone the Palestinian polls, citing Israel's negative response to permit polls in Jerusalem.

*Ahmed Asmar in Ankara contributed to this report