Fayyad unveils plan for Palestinian state

PALESTINE: Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad on Tuesday unveiled his government's plans to create a de facto state in two years as international efforts to restart Middle East peace talks grind on.

The Palestinian government is determined to build state institutions without waiting for the outcome of peace talks with the Israelis, Fayyad said at a news conference in the occupied West Bank's political capital of Ramallah.

"The Palestinian government is struggling determinedly against a hostile occupation regime... in order to establish a de facto state apparatus within the next two years," he said.

RAMALLAH, Wednesday, AFP