Palestinian businessman calls for interim gov't of professionals

A wealthy Palestinian businessman on Tuesday called for the forming of an interim government consisting of independent professionals to end a deepening economical and political crisis in the Palestinian territories.

"We propose that an interim government of 7-10 ministers to be put in place," Moneeb al-Masri, founder of the Palestinian Development and Investment Company, told a news conference in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Al-Masri said such a government could remain in place for one year in order to give all Palestinian factions and the current Hamas-led government enough time to hammer out an agreement on a national unity government.

He also stressed that the proposed interim government of experts should in no way be a substitute of the prospective unity government.

Earlier this month, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that he would like to see a temporary government of independent technocrats as talks between Abbas and Hamas leaders to form a unity government had been deadlocked over Hamas' refusal to recognize Israel.

But Hamas rejects the idea of a technocrat government and insists on a national unity one comprising all political factions.

The elderly businessman, who is frequently cited as a possible candidate to head an interim professional government, said, however, that he would prefer to see such a cabinet made up of younger people.

Calling for a youth government with a clear political and economical program, he asserted that the Palestinian economy would revive as soon as the interim technocrat government was formed.

Al-Masri also stressed that if the government could be formed, the new prime minister must be elected from and approved by the ruling Hamas movement.

Source: Xinhua