PLO calls on Palestinian premier to step down

PLO has called for the resignation of Haneya amid continuing wrangling between his Hamas movement and the more moderate Fatah.

The Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) has called for the resignation of Prime Minister Ismail Haneya amid continuing wrangling between his Hamas movement and the more moderate Fatah over forming a government of national unity.

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The PLO executive issued a statement on Friday asking Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to take steps to dismiss Haneya and begin the process of nominating a successor.

It accused Haneya's Hamas movement of blocking the formation of a national unity government for its own ends.

Abbas had declared Thursday that the efforts of his Fatah to form such a government with Hamas had reached a dead end.

Speaking at a joint news conference with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Jericho in West Bank, he said that while "a unity government is a very important goal for us", the talks had reached a "deadlock".