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Abbas delays power-share speech Abbas delays power-share speech
(about 9 hours later)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has postponed a national speech amid concern there could be a new snag to a power-sharing deal sealed last week. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has postponed a national speech amid concern there could be a new snag to a power-sharing deal sealed last week.
Mr Abbas's Fatah faction and Hamas, of Prime Minister Ismail Haniya, had agreed to form a new government of national unity.Mr Abbas's Fatah faction and Hamas, of Prime Minister Ismail Haniya, had agreed to form a new government of national unity.
Palestinian officials said Hamas had introduced new conditions. But the two sides have been unable to agree on a number of key appointments.
Factional fighting between Hamas and Fatah claimed more than 90 Palestinian lives between December and this month.Factional fighting between Hamas and Fatah claimed more than 90 Palestinian lives between December and this month.
Civil service Mr Abbas had planned to address the Palestinian people on Thursday ahead of a meeting with Mr Haniya in Gaza. The meeting is still scheduled to go ahead.
Palestinian officials said Hamas had presented new conditions before it would resign the government that it leads - an essential step for the power-sharing deal to start. Officials said Hamas had presented new conditions before it would resign the government that it leads - an essential step for the power-sharing deal to start.
One official told Reuters the conditions related to "the interior minister and the foreign minister and the Executive Force". Hamas, which has governed on its own during the past year, is unhappy about moves to dissolve a security force that it has established.
We hope that tomorrow (Thursday) there will be a final step towards the formation of the unity government Ghazi HamadCabinet spokesman There are also disputes over appointments to key cabinet posts.
The Executive Force is the militia Hamas set up last year in opposition to the president's demands. One official told Reuters the conditions related to "the interior minister and the foreign minister and the executive force (the Hamas security force)".
The official said: "Hamas has made several unacceptable conditions which cannot be implemented."The official said: "Hamas has made several unacceptable conditions which cannot be implemented."
Other Hamas concerns were said to include the civil service - it wants Mr Abbas to appoints dozens of Hamas loyalists to top posts - and the make-up of the Cabinet. Other Hamas concerns were said to include the civil service. It wants Mr Abbas to appoints dozens of Hamas loyalists to top posts.
The power-sharing deal had been agreed in Mecca, although some details on the Cabinet were left undecided. Hamas agreed to respect past Palestinian agreements that recognise Israel. The power-sharing deal was agreed last week in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, although some details on the cabinet were left undecided. Hamas agreed to respect past Palestinian agreements that recognise Israel.
Mr Abbas had planned to address the nation on Thursday ahead of a meeting with Mr Haniya in Gaza.
The meeting is still scheduled to go ahead.
Cabinet spokesman Ghazi Hamad said: "We hope that tomorrow (Thursday) there will be a final step towards the formation of the unity government."
The EU, US and Russia have maintained a crippling economic boycott of the Palestinian government since Hamas won legislative elections in January 2006.The EU, US and Russia have maintained a crippling economic boycott of the Palestinian government since Hamas won legislative elections in January 2006.