Hamas won the overwhelming support of Palestinian lawmakers for its government. The vote of confidence in the 24-member cabinet, led by prime minister Ismail Haniya, was passed by 71 votes to 36.
The session was held simultaneously in the West Bank city of Ramallah and in Gaza City, with legislators hooked up by video conference because of an Israeli travel ban between the two Palestinian territories.
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas was expected to swear in the ministers Thursday, after returning from the Arab summit in Khartoum.
Haniya took a swipe at Washington Tuesday after it rebuffed his offer of negotiations. "I deeply regret that the American administration has been so quick to make this decision. This once again shows how they (the Americans) side with the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian population," he said, according to AFP.
