Prime Minister Salam Fayyad has not offered his resignation, but has presented instead a plan to the PLO leadership to form a more inclusive factional government, two PLO executive committee members in Ramallah told Ma’an Wednesday.
Ahmad Majdalani told Ma’an that Fayyad suggested forming a government including officials from every faction so as to evenly distribute responsibility before President Mahmoud Abbas returns to the UN in November.
Majdalani said the proposal was not met with applause during the most recent meeting.
Wasel Abu Yousef, another member of the executive committee, said Fayyad did not intend to resign, but “during the last meeting a few days ago there was discussion about forming a government of factions,” which would bring in more of the opposition.
Abu Yousef quoted Fayyad as saying that the Palestinian Authority is under pressure from a financial crisis that required a government of all factions.
Raya press reported Wednesday that Fayyad would discuss his resignation with Abbas soon. The president’s office denied that report.
Fayyad, who was replaced as finance minister in a government reshuffle in May, has indicated he would be willing to step down as premier if the electorate insisted.
Protests in September largely blamed Fayyad, a former economist, for a financial crisis resulting in part from the failure of foreign donor countries to meet pledges on time.