FACTBOX-Key posts in Palestinian unity government
Source: Reuters
March 15 (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah accepted a cabinet line-up on Thursday as part of a unity government deal with Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas. The key positions went to: * INTERIOR MINISTER: Hani al-Qawasmi The most hotly-contested cabinet post, it took Abbas and Haniyeh weeks to settle on a candidate. Officials described Qawasmi as an academic with no known political affiliation and little experience in security matters. The interior minister oversees Palestinian security forces. In practice, most security units are loyal to Abbas's Fatah faction while the powerful Executive Force answers to Hamas. Qawasmi is a director in the Palestinian chief justice's office. The Hamas-led government named him director of administrative affairs in the Interior Ministry in Gaza, but Abbas did not endorse the appointment. Qawasmi, 49, is originally from the West Bank city of Hebron and lives in the Gaza Strip. He is married and a father of five. * FINANCE MINISTER: Salam Fayyad The pro-Western economist was finance minister from 2002-2005 when the Palestinian government was controlled by Fatah. He worked for the World Bank from 1987-1995 and was the International Monetary Fund representative to the Palestinian Authority from 1995-2001. As finance minister, the U.S.-educated Fayyad initiated major reforms of the financial system that won international praise. He also worked hard to curb official corruption. Fayyad resigned in late 2005 to run as a founder of the Third Way party in Palestinian parliamentary elections. The party did poorly against the long dominant Fatah faction and the Hamas Islamist movement, winning only two seats. * FOREIGN MINISTER: Ziad Abu Amr Abu Amr, an independent lawmaker from Gaza, was Fatah's choice for the post of foreign minister, though he was backed by Hamas in parliamentary elections last year. He is a political science professor and is well known for his analysis of Islamist groups such as Hamas. * DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: Azzam al-Ahmed The head of Fatah's parliamentary bloc, he was picked as deputy prime minister. He is a close aide to Abbas and has been a long-time political foe of Hamas. He is from the West Bank city of Jenin and has served as a minister in several previous Palestinian governments since 1996.
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