Palestinian PM to Visit Gaza for First Time in Years

Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah (R) speaks during a joint press conference at the Palestinian Authority headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah on April 25, 2017. (Photo by AFP)
Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah (R) speaks during a joint press conference at the Palestinian Authority headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah on April 25, 2017. (Photo by AFP)
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Palestinian PM to Visit Gaza for First Time in Years

Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah (R) speaks during a joint press conference at the Palestinian Authority headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah on April 25, 2017. (Photo by AFP)
Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah (R) speaks during a joint press conference at the Palestinian Authority headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah on April 25, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

The Palestinian government announced that it will hold a meeting in Gaza next Tuesday to turn the page of the administrative committee formed by Hamas and give the green light for the ministries and institutions in Gaza Strip.

Spokesman for the Palestinian government Youssef al-Mahmoud said, “Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah has decided after consulting with President Mahmoud Abbas that the government will hold its weekly meeting in Gaza next week.”

“Hamdallah and members of the government will arrive in Gaza next Monday to start taking over government responsibilities after Hamas announced its agreement to dissolve the administrative committee and enable the government to assume its full responsibilities,” he added.

Hamdallah determined the purposes behind the government’s visit to Gaza, saying that he aims at knowing all the conditions by which the government will work to tackle consequences of the siege, division, and repetitive Israeli aggression.

Hamas welcomed the arrival of the government of Hamdallah to Gaza Strip. A meeting was held in Gaza, in the presence of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, to brief attendees on the outcome of the delegation's visit to Cairo and the agreements reached in the sponsorship of Egyptian intelligence.

Haniyeh affirmed that reconciliation is a strategic decision as he welcomed the government’s intention to visit Gaza, assuring that Hamas would provide all required facilities to let it perform its tasks.

In a later statement, the Palestinian National and Islamic Forces stressed the importance of restoring national unity in Palestine and ending divisions. They also lauded efforts of Egypt in supporting the nation’s causes as well as Hamas dissolving the administrative committee in Gaza Strip to resume implementation of the reconciliation.



France Declines to Comment on Algeria’s Anger over Recognition of Morocco’s Claim over Sahara

French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
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France Declines to Comment on Algeria’s Anger over Recognition of Morocco’s Claim over Sahara

French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)

Paris declined to comment on Algeria’s “strong condemnation” of the French government’s decision to recognize Morocco’s claim over the Sahara.

The office of the French Foreign Ministry refused to respond to an AFP request for a comment on the Algeria’s stance.

It did say that further comments could impact the trip Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is set to make to France in late September or early October.

The visit has been postponed on numerous occasions over disagreements between the two countries.

France had explicitly expressed its constant and clear support for the autonomy rule proposal over the Sahara during Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne’s visit to Morocco in February, reported AFP.

The position has helped improve ties between Rabat and Paris.

On Thursday, the Algerian Foreign Ministry expressed “great regret and strong denunciation" about the French government's decision to recognize an autonomy plan for the Western Sahara region "within Moroccan sovereignty”.

Algeria was informed of the decision by France in recent days, an Algerian foreign ministry statement added.

The ministry also said Algeria would draw all the consequences from the decision and hold the French government alone completely responsible.