Hamas government approved

2006-03-28 16:31

Gaza City - The Palestinian parliament overwhelming approved the new Hamas cabinet on Tuesday in a 71-36 vote, setting the stage for the cabinet to take office later this week. Two parliamentarians abstained in the vote.

Immediately after the vote, Hamas lawmakers broke into chants of "God is great."

Before the vote, incoming Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh told parliament his new government was ready to talk to international mediators about solving the Mideast conflict, but won't cave in to economic pressures to soften its hardline agenda.

Hamas, which won January 25 elections in a landslide, has refused international calls to renounce violence and to recognise Israel's right to exist.

- AP