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A US-educated Palestinian academic agreed on Monday to replace Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh as part of a bid by rival factions to bridge differences and ease a Western aid blockade, a Palestinian official said.
The nomination of 60-year-old Mohammad Shbair, a former head of the Islamic University in Gaza considered close to the governing Hamas, has still to be endorsed by President Mahmoud Abbas, a moderate from the previously dominant Fatah faction.
Palestinians hope a new prime minister and a coalition cabinet will ease Western sanctions imposed after Hamas, which is committed to Israel's destruction, came to power in March. "We are facing a new era in which we will all work side by side and shoulder to shoulder in order to be able to protect the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people," said Ahmed Qurie, a senior Fatah official who is also a former prime minister. "The coming days will witness the true breakthrough, and the responsibilities upon the leaders will become greater."
Hamas declined comment. It was not clear that Hamas was ready to have Shbair named until all members of a unity government were worked out. "We can say that Fatah did not give any objections. Mohammad Shbair is a candidate by Hamas, and Fatah has no objection. Therefore, he has a big chance," said Rudwan al-Akhras, a spokesman for Fatah's parliamentary bloc.
Abbas, who travelled to Jordan for a two-day visit on Monday, was not expected to be able to endorse Shbair formally until the end of the week, at the earliest.

Copyright Reuters, 2006

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