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Whenever the PLO’s parliament in exile is called to meet, one expects important decisions. This time, the Palestinian Central Council (PCC) will meet in Ramallah on Saturday to decide two critical issues: the future of talks with Israel and elections for president and parliament of Palestine.

The 120-member Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) is considered an integral feature (but not the main one) of the PLO’s Palestinian National Council (PNC), which is considered the highest body in the organization.

El presidente de la Autoridad Nacional Palestina (ANP), Mahmud Abás, está firmemente decidido a alcanzar un acuerdo de reconciliación con el movimiento islamista Hamas, que gobierna Gaza, informaron a Efe fuentes palestinas.

Según las mismas, la presidencia de la ANP concentra sus esfuerzos "en este punto", dispuesta a proporcionar las condiciones necesarias para que la reconciliación sea un éxito, condiciones que pasan por la celebración de elecciones generales.

RAMALLAH, August 15, 2013 (WAFA) – Head of Fatah team to the reconciliation talks with Hamas, Azzam Ahmad, said Thursday that Hamas was not ready for reconciliation and that it has not abided by the agreed date to form a unity government and to set a date for presidential and legislative elections.

Fatah and Hamas have agreed on May 14 to conclude their reconciliation talks with the formation of a unity government of independent technocrats headed by President Mahmoud Abbas by August 14 along with setting a date for national elections in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday accepted the resignation of newly-appointed Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, the president's spokesman said.

Nabil Abu Rudeina said Abbas has asked Hamdallah to stay on as caretaker until a successor is sworn in. 

Hamdallah, who was president of the Al-Najah University in Nablus, tendered his resignation on Thursday only two weeks after his government was sworn in. 

His resignation followed a heated argument between his deputies Muhammad Mustafa and Ziad Abu Amr, whom Hamdallah had added to the new government. 

The leaders of the Palestinian groups Fatah and Hamas have held talks in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, to try to heal their rift.

Palestinian Authority and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas met the political chief of Hamas, Khaled Meshaal.

Earlier, both had separately met Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi.

The groups have been at odds since Hamas ousted forces loyal to Mr Abbas in the Gaza Strip during clashes in 2007 and set up a rival government.

Former Palestinian Authority Chief of Justice Sheikh Tayseer Tamimi announced the formation of a new political party on Saturday.

Sheikh Tamimi told Ma'an that the official launching of the Freedom and Independence Party for the Defense of Holy Sites will take place on Wednesday at the Rocky hotel in Ramallah.

The party, which is licensed by the PA Interior Ministry, aims to protect Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem and Palestinian rights such as the return of refugees, Tamimi said.