Mustafa al-Barghouti, head of "Independent Palestine" party in the
Palestinian legislature, said on Saturday that his group would not join the new
government to be announced shortly by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).
Al-Barghouti said at a press conference held in the West Bank city of
Ramallah that his party would not join the upcoming Hamas-led cabinet, but would
support the government in every positive action that benefited the Palestinian
people's interests.
"Independent Palestine will play a positive role in removing the disputes (in
the parliament) and achieving national harmony," he said.
In addition, al-Barghouti urged the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO),
an umbrella which groups key Palestinian factions including the Fatah movement,
to open its doors for Hamas in order to form a national unity leadership.
Scoring a landslide victory in the January Palestinian parliamentary
elections, Hamas, which calls for Israel's destruction, is expected to announce
a new cabinet later in the day.
