Special report: Hamas-led cabinet takes office

    RAMALLAH, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- A Fatah lawmaker said on Saturday that his colleagues were considering a confidence bill against the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas)-led government.

    There is a new trend among Fatah lawmakers to withdraw confidence from the current Hamas-led government but in favor of a national-unity government, Eissa Qaraqe told reporters.

    He explained the motives behind that trend were the current condition which is going towards disaster amid open-ended strike and the lack of any horizon for resolving overwhelming crisis in the territories.

    Qaraqe said only a coalition government, representing all parties, would be able to put an end to disasters and crisis which the Palestinian people suffer from.

    The Palestinian cause is declining politically and is threatened with dying out while the ghost of hunger, resulted fromthe siege, is threatening to dismantle the society, said Qaraqe,adding "a fearless and decisive decision should be taken to stop this dangerous deterioration."

    The people are looking for a government with popular will that is able to take crucial decisions, stressed Qaraqe.

    Some 165,000 Palestinian government employees have not been paid their salaries for six months as international donors cut off the direct fund to the Palestinians in a bid to press Hamas to recognize Israel and renounce violence.

    Last Saturday, civil servants from public institutions and teachers went on the biggest general strike in protest against wage shortage since the creation of the Palestinian National Authority in 1994.

    The one month strike halted on Thursday as it entered the sixth day thanks to the deal between the ministry and the union.

    The Hamas-led government has repeated that the international community was to be blamed for the lack of fund. Enditem