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Hamas Presents Palestinian Cabinet
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=11876A4:3919ACA Prime
Minister-designate Ismail Haniyeh calls for dialogue with Quartet of
international mediators to resolve Israeli-Palestinian conflict





Incoming Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh waves after
addressing a parliament session in Gaza City The Palestinian militant
group Hamas has presented its Cabinet to parliament for a confidence
vote.

Prime Minister-designate Ismail Haniyeh asked legislators Monday to
vote in favor of his Cabinet and government agenda. He said his
government would seek to end Israeli occupation, eliminate Israeli
settlements and continue the struggle for the creation of an
independent state.

Mr. Haniyeh also called for dialogue with the Quartet of international
mediators - the United States, the European Union, Russia and the
United Nations - to try to end conflict in the Middle East.

Palestinian legislators are expected to hold a vote of confidence on
the Hamas Cabinet and government program later in the week. Approval
is seen as a formality because of the majority Hamas holds in the
legislature.

The parliament session comes on the eve of elections in Israel, where
the main issue is a plan by interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to
unilaterally withdraw from remote Jewish settlements in the West Bank
and expand larger blocs if peacemaking with the Palestinians remains
frozen.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.


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