NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT TO BE APPROVED, SWORN IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000503 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WATERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/15/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV KWBG IS KPAL SUBJECT: NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT TO BE APPROVED, SWORN IN MARCH 17-18 Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) PLC Will Approve NUG March 17 -------------- ¶1. (C) PA President Mahmud Abbas (Abu Mazen) and PM Ismayil Haniyah announced agreement on a national unity government (NUG) and publicly released the list of the NUG's 23 ministers on March 15. Haniyah will deliver a speech to the PLC in Gaza City March 17 presenting the NUG and discussing its political program (West Bank members will participate by DVC in Ramallah). According to President's Office officials, Abbas will be in Gaza during the PLC session, but will not attend. The officials said they have invited the Arab League and OICSecretaries-General and the diplomatic corps. After the PLC approves the NUG in a voice confidence vote, Abbas will swear in the new ministers at his Gaza City office the evening of March 17. NUG Composition -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Fatah, Hamas, the DFLP, Third Way (Salam Fayyad and Hanan Ashrawi),Independent Palestine (Mustafa Barghuthi), and the Palestinian People's Party (PPP) officially compose the NUG, with the 24 ministries distributed as follows (the final cabinet list and biographies will be transmitted septel): Fatah: Deputy PM and four ministries; Fatah-supported independents: three ministries; Hamas: PM, eight ministries and one Minister of State (without portfolio); Hamas-supported independents: two ministries; Third Way: one ministry (Finance); Independent Palestine: one ministry (Information); DFLP: one ministry (Social Affairs); PPP: one ministry (Culture). WALLES