Palestinian PM to resign after Obama's visit

RAMALLAH - Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad plans to resign after US President Barack Obama's visit to the region this month, a source said Tuesday.

Fayyad is facing pressure from President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party over the financial crisis engulfing the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), said the source, a member of Fatah central committee.

Fayyad, a US-educated economist, prefers to submit his resignation after Obama visits Israel and the West Bank on March 20 and 21, so Fayyad will not be appearing as taking a position against Obama, the source added.

Earlier this week, Palestinian Finance Minister Nabil Qasis resigned. Fayyad accepted the resignation of Qasis, but Abbas reportedly rejected it.

The PNA suffers a financial crisis with a shortfall exceeding $1 billion as donors reduced their grants and Israel stopped transferring Palestinian tax revenues regularly.