Palestinian Interior Minister submits resignation

Gaza, Apr 23: Palestinian Interior Minister Hani al-Qawasmi has submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas in the first crack in a month-old unity government, Palestinian officials said today.

One official said Qawasmi, who drew up a plan to reduce lawlessness in Gaza, had been frustrated by a lack of cooperation between Palestinian security chiefs.

As interior minister, Qawasmi's role was to oversee major Palestinian security services but President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah appointed one of Hamas's main rivals, Mohammad Dahlan, to serve as the overall national security adviser.

Some Palestinian analysts saw the appointment of Dahlan as a bid to sideline Qawasmi and minimise his control over the security services.

Qawasmi assumed the post just over a month ago as part of a unity government between Hamas and Fatah aimed at ending factional fighting. But tensions between Hamas and Fatah remain high and lawlessness has spread, particularly in the Gaza Strip.

REUTERS

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