Palestinian Authority president accepts prime minister’s resignation

RAMALLAH, West Bank -- Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah on Sunday, Abbas’ spokesman said.

Hamdallah, in office for only two weeks, resigned Thursday protesting what he described as infringement on his authority as prime minister by his two deputies, both advisors to Abbas.

Abbas attempted over two days to persuade Hamdallah, 54, an independent university president until he was asked to form a government on June 2 to replace outgoing Salam Fayyad, to withdraw his resignation.

Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said in a brief statement that Abbas accepted Hamdallah’s resignation and that he asked him to stay on as a caretaker until a new prime minister is appointed.

Abbas is supposed to form a unity government of independent technocrats by mid-August if reconciliation talks with his rival Hamas succeed in bridging the gap between them. Hamas has ruled the Gaza Strip since mid-2007.