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
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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
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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