Hamas' exiled political chief warned Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday not to make leadership changes without consulting the militant group, taking a hardened stance ahead of negotiations to form a new government. Khaled Mashaal's strong warning may have been in response to Palestinian press reports that Abbas planned to appoint his current interior minister, Nasser Youssef, as deputy commander of Palestinian security forces. That would enable the Palestinian leader to keep control over the forces. "I take this opportunity to tell (Abbas) not to make any new moves, changes or appointments" without consulting Hamas, Mashaal told a press conference in Cairo.Hamas also was upset when Palestinian Parliament speaker Rauhi Fattouh appointed Fatah activist Ibrahim Khreisheh as director general of the legislative council after the militant group won a big parliamentary majority in Jan. 25 elections. Mashaal, speaking after meetings of Hamas' leadership in the Egyptian capital, said the militant group had not yet decided on a candidate for prime minister.
But another top leader said Hamas had settled on Jamal al-Khudairi, a businessman who ran in the parliamentary elections as an independent with Hamas' backing. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because Hamas had not yet made its proposal to Abbas. Al-Khudairi, a well-known Hamas sympathizer, has never addressed violence or recognition of Israel, focusing most of his campaign speeches on domestic issues like matters like education and job training. He has also talked about the need for internal Palestinian reform. Mashaal said "al-Khudairi is a respected Palestinian personality," though he said Hamas had made no decision.