Hamas govt to be sworn in Wednesday

GAZA, Mar 25 (Reuters) The new Palestinian government under Islamic militant group Hamas will be sworn in on Wednesday following its ratification, Prime Minister-designate Ismail Haniyeh said today.

The Palestinian Legislative Council is to convene on Monday for a confidence vote on the 24-member cabinet. Approval is seen as a certainty given that Hamas has a majority in parliament after a crushing election victory in January.

''On Wednesday at the latest there will be a special session for the government to be sworn in before Abu Mazen,'' Haniyeh told reporters, referring to President Mahmoud Abbas.

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