"I give good news to the Palestinian people at home and in Diaspora that we have finished everything related to the national unity government, especially the interior ministry portfolio," Palestinian Prime Minister-designate Ismail Haneya told reporters in Gaza.

Haneya spoke after meeting with President Mahmoud Abbas late Wednesday, during which the two leaders agreed on the sensitive post of interior minister in charge of security forces.

He did not disclose the name of the minister, but promised they "will say everything before the Legislative Council on Saturday."

"On Thursday we will start the constitutional measures where the names of cabinet members in the national unity government would be presented," Haneya told reporters.

He added that "the cabinet line-up would be brought to the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) for a confidence vote on Saturday."

Ghazi Hamad, spokesman for the outgoing caretaker government, said that the new government will be sworn in on Saturday evening after its members take the oath.

"We can say the government has been done," Hamad said in a news conference outside President Abbas' office in Gaza, adding "we hope the new coalition will begin working next week."

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Abbas has urged the Arab nations and the Middle East mediators, known as the Quartet, to "deal and live with the government and give it a chance to lift the siege on the Palestinians."

The formation of the new government is to end a year of Hamas ruling that began after the Islamic movement defeated the long-dominant Fatah party of Abbas in legislative elections last March.

Last month, Hamas and Fatah reached a power-sharing deal in the Saudi Arabian holy city of Mecca, ending months of infighting that has killed scores of Palestinians.

The eleventh government will be the first coalition government in the history of the Palestinian National Authority since its creation in 1994.

Hamas and Fatah, are the main participants in the coalition with Hamas receiving nine cabinet posts and Fatah six.

The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) will get a seat in the new cabinet, and six other posts will be filled by independents.

The Islamic Jihad (Holy War) movement and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) decided not to join the new coalition for political reasons.

(Xinhua News Agency March 15, 2007)