GAZA CITY, March 20, 2006 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - Hamas handed Palestinian President Mahmmoud Abbas Sunday night, March 19, a cabinet that included its own leaders, independents and technocrats.

"It is a cabinet of professionals, experts and technocrats with a few political figures," said Prime minister designate Ismail Haniyeh, adding that the atmosphere of his meeting with Abbas had been "positive," reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Haniyeh Said the 24-member line-up included one woman and one Christian as well as two senior Hamas officials, Mahmud Al-Zahar and Sayed Siam, giving no further details.

Zahar is the leader of Hamas's parliamentary bloc, while Siam is a rising star in the movement who won the most votes for a single candidate in the January 25 parliamentary election in which Hamas trounced Abbas's long dominant Fatah movement.

Hamas sources told IslamOline.net earlier that Zahar would be nominated foreign minister and Siam interior minister.

Omar Abdul Razeq, another Hamas leader, would take the key finance portfolio, according to Reuters.

Hamas has sought a broad national unity government but after nearly four weeks of coalition talks since its January election victory, no other faction has agreed to join.

Hours before Haniya presented the list to Abbas, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) announced it was following other parties in steering clear of a government led by Hamas.

Abbas's own Fatah faction had earlier also refused to join a Hamas-led government.

Western diplomatic sources said Monday, March 13, that the Bush administration warned Fatah and other parties of strict restrictions on contacts and assistance if they joined a Hamas-led government.

The Palestinian leader confirmed that he had received the new government's line-up and program.

"In the next 24 to 48 hours, I am going to convene a meeting of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization to present to it the cabinet list," Abbas told a news conference.

"Then the necessary steps will be taken to convene the Palestinian Legislative Council (parliament) for a vote of confidence in the new government."

Pressed by journalists whether he would accept the new government and program, Abbas said it was a matter that was going to be considered by the PLO.

While the Palestinian leader has little choice but to endorse the nominations of Hamas, which now has an overwhelming majority in parliament, there were indications he may hold back giving his rubber stamp until Israel goes to the polls on March 28.

His spokesman indicated that he could wait until after an Arab League summit on the same day in Sudan.

"We don't know if parliament will meet this week to vote on the government or not. That is up to Abu Mazen (Abbas) who is busy with the Khartoum summit," Nabil Abu Rudeina told AFP.

Haniyeh (L) presents his cabinet to Abbas in Gaza. (Reuters)

In its first response to the Hamas-led cabinet, Israel said it will have no contact with a "terrorist" Palestinian government.

"We will have no contact with a government controlled by Hamas," the official in the prime minister's office told AFP asking not to be identified.

"We will not transfer any moneys until they accept the three conditions," he added, referring to demands for Hamas to renounce violence, recognize Israel and accept past peace agreements.

Israel has cut tax transfers to the Palestinians while many Western aid groups are reviewing their programs in the wake of the Hamas election victory.

The US, which has given more than $1.5 billion in aid to the Palestinians since 1993 and had budgeted $234 million for 2006, has begun a full review of such assistance program since Hamas's election win.

Hamas has played down the aid threat, expecting generous aid from Arabs and Muslims to bridge the financial gap.

Even before Hamas takes power, relations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority are at one of their lowest ebbs ever.

Despite the protests of the Palestinian Authority, Israel has closed its main trade crossing into Gaza for much of the year on security grounds.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees warned that the territory is on the edge of a severe food crisis.