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Palestinian PM offers to resign Palestinian PM offers to resign
(about 2 hours later)
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya of the ruling Hamas group has said he is willing to resign if this will end a Western aid boycott.Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya of the ruling Hamas group has said he is willing to resign if this will end a Western aid boycott.
His comments came after talks on a unity government with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.His comments came after talks on a unity government with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
Sanctions were imposed this year by Israel and Western countries, which see Hamas as a terrorist organisation.Sanctions were imposed this year by Israel and Western countries, which see Hamas as a terrorist organisation.
"If we have to choose between the siege and myself, we must lift the siege and end the suffering," Mr Haniya said."If we have to choose between the siege and myself, we must lift the siege and end the suffering," Mr Haniya said.
Mr Haniya said the discussions on forming a unity government were yielding results and that he hoped a new cabinet could be in place within three weeks. [They have] one condition, that the siege will not be lifted unless the prime minister is changed Ismail HaniyaPalestinian Prime Minister href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/middle_east/2001/israel_and_the_palestinians/profiles/1654510.stm" class="">Who are Hamas?
Despite intense international pressure, Hamas has refused to recognise Israel, renounce violence and respect previous Israeli-Palestinian agreements. Speaking outside a Gaza mosque, he said that Western countries were not happy with him at the head of government.
Hamas and Fatah are also locked in a power struggle and the political differences between them remain deep. The US and Europe imposed crippling sanctions on the authority in March as Hamas refused to recognise Israel, renounce violence and respect previous Israeli-Palestinian agreements.
"[They have] one condition, that the siege will not be lifted unless the prime minister is changed," he said.
But Mr Haniya said the discussions on forming a unity government were yielding results and that he hoped a new cabinet could be in place within three weeks.
It was hoped that the formation of a unity government would lead to direct foreign aid being resumed.
But the political differences between Hamas and Fatah remain deep.
Hamas insists it will never join a government that recognises the state of Israel. Mr Haniya repeated that there would be no concessions.