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Abbas may sack Hamas regime

RAMALLAH (West Bank): Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas indicated he might dismiss the Hamas-led Cabinet as a step toward relief from crippling Western aid sanctions, as the European Union contributed some money to pay civilian workers.

Addressing diplomats in the West Bank city of Ramallah at a feast marking the end of the daylong Ramadan fast on Thursday evening, Mr. Abbas said, ``We are going to make the decisions about forming a Cabinet that abides by Palestinian and Arab and international legality to lift the siege from our people and mitigate its suffering.''

It was Mr. Abbas' clearest indication that he might dismiss the current Cabinet. Mr. Abbas has been promoting the idea of a Cabinet of technocrats instead. An aide said Mr. Abbas would not let the crisis boil on indefinitely.

Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, of Hamas, dismissed Mr. Abbas'comments, saying that a new Government would have to be ratified by a majority in the Palestinian Parliament where his Islamic party controls 71 of the 132 seats. — AP

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