Palestinian PM ponders resignation

Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad is reportedly considering submitting a resignation letter to President Mahmoud Abbas, once the Authority’s leader returns to the West Bank following an economic summit in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. Sources close to London's al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper claimed Fayyad plans to meet Abbas on his return to Ramallah in order to resign from the position of Prime Minister. Fayyad reportedly aims to push Palestinian reconciliation efforts forward, ultimately forming a national government in accordance with the Doha Declaration. Sources said the news would test how serious the Hamas administration is with regards to forming a government of national consensus. This would mean allowing the Central Election Commission to return to the Gaza Strip in order to update voter registration information, ahead of presidential and legislative elections. Last Thursday, an interfactional conference in Cairo attended by Fatah and Hamas representatives agreed on a roadmap for Palestinian reconciliation, which would result in the formation of a national government headed by President Abbas.