Mohammed Shabir is seen at the Islamic University in Gaza City Monday Nov. 13, 2006. The U.S.-educated professor with ties to both Hamas and the rival Fatah Party, Shabir is the leading candidate for Palestinian prime minister in an emerging unity government, officials said Monday. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)
Mohammad Shbair speaks on the phone inside his office in Gaza November 13, 2006.Rival Palestinian factions were close to agreeing on Monday on a new prime minister to replace Ismail Haniyeh, but the candidate required the endorsement of President Mahmoud Abbas to be made final, officials said. Negotiators from the Islamist group Hamas and its more moderate rival Fatah said separately they were near agreement that Mohammad Shbair, the former head of the Islamic University in Gaza, should replace Haniyeh. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem (GAZA)