New Palestinian Cabinet Is Sworn In

More than a year after the last cabinet resigned, the Palestinian Authority (PA) has a new government. It is still headed by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad but removes direct control of the PA’s shaky finances from him. The new 25-member cabinet, whose writ extends to most of the West Bank, has 11 new faces, including Finance Minister Nabil Kassis. Fayyad, an economist by training, had been credited with cleaning up and regularizing the PA budget. The previous cabinet stepped down in expectation of a unity government with the rival Hamas movement, which controls the Gaza Strip, but the negotiations stalled and Hamas reacted angrily to the news of the PA’s unilateral election. “This strengthens the division," Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum said. PA President Mahmoud Abbas said he is leaving the door open to a unity agreement.  "But I can’t wait forever. A number of ministers have resigned from the current government, and now the administrative situation is paralyzed,” Abbas said.