Hamas names PM candidate

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AJ. Hamas names PM candidate
Hamas has named Gaza businessman Jamal al-Khudairi as its candidate for the post of Palestinian prime minister.

Al-Khudairi ran in last month's Palestinian elections as an independent with Hamas backing, a spokesman for the group said on Wednesday.
Hamas, which scored a shock victory in the elections, has yet to formally put his name forward to Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president.

If al-Khudairi is not accepted in negotiations with Abbas, or if he turns down the nomination, the group will name Mazen Sonnoqrot, another Hamas-sympathetic independent who is currently Palestinian trade and economics minister.

Al-Khudairi has never addressed key issues such as violence or the recognition of Israel, sticking mostly in campaign speeches to education and job training. He has talked about the need for internal Palestinian reform.

He owns the biggest mattress factory in the West Bank and Gaza, and holds an engineering degree from an Egyptian university.