Hamas PM Ismail Haniya says ready to resign as part of Palestinian-Palestinian reconciliation

Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniya said on Saturday he was "ready to resign" for the sake of Palestinian unity.

"I am prepared to tender my resignation as part of the reconciliation agreement between Hamas and Fatah," he said. "This agreement is very important and should boost efforts to end the divisions and encourage unity among Palestinians," he added.

On Wednesday, the rival Palestinian groups reached an "understanding" in Cairo to set up a transitional unity government and hold elections.

The PA Prime Minister, Salam Fayyad, expressed hope on Wednesday that the agreement could lead to "the reunification of the nation, needed to enable our people to decide their destiny and to establish an independent state on all territories occupied since 1967, with east Jerusalem as its capital."