Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (right) receives the proposal for the new Palestinian cabinet from Hamas' incoming Prime Minister Ismail Hanyeh (left) in Gaza city. (Maan News)

The Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister designate, Ismail Haniyeh, has submitted the following cabinet list to President Mahmoud Abbas. This list will be presented to the Palestinian Legislative Council for a vote of confidence. The vote is expected to take place next week. The new Palestinian Authority Cabinet is comprised only of members of Hamas and technocrats because all other political factions - Fatah, Badil, the Third Way, Independent Palestine and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - declined to participate in the new government.

1. Ismail Haniyeh - Prime Minister and Minister of Youth and Sport (Hamas) (biography)

2. Mahmoud Zahar - Minister of Foreign Affairs (Hamas) (biography)

3. Saeed Siyyam - Minister of the Interior and Civil Affairs (Hamas) (biography)

4. Nasr al-Sha'ir - Minister of Higher Education and Deputy Prime Minister (Hamas but not a PLC member)

5. Omar Abdul Razeq -Minister of Finance (Hamas) (biography)

6. Mariam Saleh - Minister of Women's Affairs (Hamas) (biography)

7. Nayef Rajoub - Minister of Waqf (Religious Affairs) (Hamas) (biography)

8. Jamal al-Khudari - Minister of Telecommunications (Independent, supported by Hamas) (biography)

9. Bassem Naeem - Minister of Health (Hamas but not a PLC member) (biography)

10. Ahmed Khalidi - Minister of Justice (supported by Hamas - not a member of the PLC) (biography)

11. Yusuf Rizqa - Minister of Information (supported by Hamas - not a member of the PLC) (biography)

12. Abdulrahman Zeidan - Minister of Transportation (Hamas) (biography)

13. Ziad al-Da'da - Minister of Public Works (Hamas but not a PLC member)

14. Tannas Abu Aita - Minister of Tourism (no political affiliation)

15. Fakhri Turkman - Minister of Social Affairs (no political affiliation)

16. Samir Abu Aisha - Minister of Planning (Hamas but not a PLC member)

17. Ala' al-Araj - Minister of Economy (no political affiliation)

18. Mohammed al-Agha - Minister of Agriculture

19. Atallah Abu Sibah - Minister of Culture

20. Issa al-Jabari - Minister of Local Government

21. Mohammed Barghouti - Minister of Labor

22. Khaled Abu Arafa - Minister of Jerusalem Affairs

23. Wasfi Kabaha - Minister of Prisoners' Affairs

24. Atif Adwan - Minister of Refugee Affairs (biography)

25. Aziz Dweik - Speaker of the PLC (biography)

Here is brief biographic information on some of the most prominent Cabinet members:

Ismail Haniyeh -- Prime Minister and Minister of Information (Hamas)

Mr. Haniyeh was born in 1963 in Shati (Beach) refugee camp in the Occupied Gaza Strip. He and his family are Palestinian refugees who hail from Jura - a destroyed city near Ashqelon in what is now Israel.

Mr. Haniyeh graduated in 1987 from the Islamic University in Gaza where he studied Arabic literature and Sharia (Islamic law). A long time activist in the Hamas (and its predecessor, Muslim Brotherhood) movement, Mr. Haniyeh's political career was launched when he was appointed head of the student union at the Islamic University. Because of his political activity, he was imprisoned several times by Israel, including a three-year prison term without charge in 1989. Upon his release in 1992, Mr. Haniyeh and 415 other Palestinian activists were deported to southern Lebanon, where they remained in exile for several months, despite an Israeli High Court ruling that their deportation was illegal.

A year after his return, Mr. Haniyeh was appointed Academic Director of the Islamic University in Gaza and head of the Hamas student movement. In 1997, he was appointed the assistant to the late Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, spiritual leader of Hamas, following Yassin's release from prison. The two men's close relationship led to Mr. Haniyeh's increased prominence in the Hamas movement. With this high profile came the threat of assassination under Israel's policy of targeting Palestinian political figures. Mr. Haniyeh was injured in September 2003 following an Israeli assassination attempt on Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.

Previously, he served as the Secretary-General of the Board of Trustees of the Islamic University in Gaza.

Mr. Haniyeh is married with twelve children.

Mahmoud Zahar - Minister of Foreign Affairs (Hamas)

Dr. Mahmoud Zahar was born in Gaza City in 1951 to a Palestinian father and an Egyptian mother. He spent much of his childhood in Egypt where he later studied medicine and graduated in 1976 with a specialization in general surgery.

Upon his return to the Occupied Gaza Strip, Dr. Zahar was named the head of the Department of Nursing at the newly established Islamic University of Gaza where Dr. Abdel Aziz Rantissi, the former head of Hamas killed by Israel in 2004, also worked. Prior to this post, Dr. Zahar worked as a physician in Khan Younis and Gaza City but was later dismissed by the Israeli army for his political activities.

A member of the Palestinian Muslim Brotherhood, Dr. Zahar, along with Dr. Rantissi and Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, founded the Hamas movement in 1988. This decision was driven by the fear that the populist Palestinian uprising was leading Palestinians away from the Muslim Brotherhood and toward the secular movement led by Fatah. He was imprisoned by Israel for six months for his political activity.

In 1992, Dr. Zahar, along with his brother, Fadel, Dr. Rantissi and Mr. Haniyeh, was deported to Lebanon because of his political activity. Though he was allowed to return, 18 activists, including his brother, were prevented from returning by Israel.

With the outbreak of the second Palestinian uprising, Hamas leaders came under attack by Israel. On September 10, 2003, three days after an assassination attempt on Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the Israeli army bombed Dr. Zahar's home, destroying it completely and killing his eldest son, Khaled. Dr. Zahar, his wife and his daughter were wounded.

In addition to his medical practice, Dr. Zahar is the head of Nur Research Center in Gaza. He is the author of several books. He is married and has seven children.

Saeed Siyyam - Minister of the Interior and Civil Affairs (Hamas)

Mr. Siyyam was born in 1959 in Gaza City in the Occupied Gaza Strip. He is a Palestinian refugee from Jura - a destroyed city near Ashqelon in what is now Israel. He studied science, mathematics and Islamic studies at the Islamic University in Gaza and later, at the Open University of Jerusalem. Formerly the head of the teachers' union at schools run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, Mr. Siyyam is an educator who serves on the Board of Trustees at the Islamic University in Gaza.

Mr. Siyyam has been arrested several times by Israel for his political activity and was imprisoned without charge or trial four times. In 1992, along with other Hamas members, he was exiled to Lebanon where he stayed for almost one year. He is a member of the political wing of Hamas and was once in charge of external relations.

He is married with six children.

Omar Abdul Razeq -Minister of Finance (Hamas)

Mr. Razeq was born in Salfit in the West Bank in 1958. He holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Iowa, and is currently a professor of economics at Najah University. In addition to his teaching position, Mr. Razeq is a researcher at the Palestinian Economic Policy Research Institute.

He has been imprisoned twice by Israel, once for four months in 1997 where he was held without charge or trial, and the second time for three months in December 2005. He was released from prison a few days ago.

He is married with four children.

Mariam Saleh - Minister of Women's Affairs (Hamas)

Ms. Saleh was born in the refugee camp of Deir Ammar, and her family is from the town of Beit Nabala near Lod (now Israel). She represents the city of Al-Bireh (near Ramallah).

Ms. Saleh left Palestine for Saudi Arabia and returned in 1993 after a 22-year absence. She holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Islamic law from the University of King Abdel Aziz in Saudi Arabia. She obtained her Ph.D. in Islamic law from Um al-Qura University in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Since 1993, she has worked at Al-Quds University as a professor of Islamic law. In addition, she was a visiting lecturer in the Open University of Jerusalem.

In 1996 she established the Huda Association for women and currently serves on the Board of Directors of six charitable organizations. She is the author of several research papers on divorce in Islamic law, political rights of women in Islam and Islamic culture.

She is married with seven children.

Nayef Rajoub - Minister of Waqf (religious affairs) (Hamas)

Mr. Rajoub was born in Dura, a village near Hebron, in 1958. He holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Jordan and a Master's degree in Islamic law from Hebron University.

Mr. Rajoub was imprisoned by Israel three times for a total of 26 months, each time without charge or trial. In 1992, he was deported to Lebanon with other Hamas activists. He returned one year later.

Mr. Rajoub is the brother of Jibril Rajoub, a senior Fatah member and former head of Preventive Security in the West Bank. Both brothers ran for election in the city of Hebron, with Nayef Rajoub attaining the most votes in the city while his more well-known brother was not elected.

Currently, he serves as the president of the Beekeeper's Association of Hebron and is a member of many charitable organizations. He has authored three books, including a work of poetry on his experience in exile.

He is married with eight children.

Jamal al-Khudari - Minister of Telecommunications (Independent, supported by Hamas)

Born in Gaza City in 1955, Mr. al-Khudari holds a Bachelor's in electrical engineering from Cairo University in Egypt. A successful businessman, he currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Islamic University in Gaza, a position he has held for 14 years. He is also Chairman of the Board of the Gaza College of Science and Technology. Previously, Mr. al-Khudari served as the vice-president of the Engineers' Association.

Mr. al-Khudari is married with five children

Bassem Naeem - Minister of Health (supported by Hamas - not a member of the PLC)

Dr. Naeem is from Beit Hanoun in Occupied Gaza Strip. He holds a medical degree with a specialization in surgery from Germany. He currently works in Shifa Hospital in Gaza. In addition to his medical practice, Dr. Naeem serves as the head of the Palestinian Medical Club and as the head of the Islamic Medical Group, an organization supported by Hamas. His eldest son was killed by the Israeli army.

He is married with children.

Ahmed Khalidi - Minister of Justice (supported by Hamas - not a member of the PLC)

Mr. Khalidi hails from Nablus. He currently serves as the head of the College of Law at Najah University in Nablus. He was a member of the drafting committee of the Palestinian Basic Law (akin to a constitution).

Yusuf Rizqa - Minister of Information (supported by Hamas - not a member of the PLC)

Mr. Rizqa lives in Bureij refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. He holds a doctorate in Arabic literature and serves as the President of the College of Arts of the Islamic University in Gaza. He is a Hamas activist in the central region of the Gaza Strip.

Abdulrahman Zeidan - Minister of Transportation (Hamas)

Born in Deir Ghusoon, near Tulkarm, in 1961, Mr. Zeidan is a refugee from the village of Khirbet Yamma. He holds a Bachelor's degree from Alabama State University and is in the process of completing his Master's degree in engineering from Najah University in Nablus.

Mr. Zeidan currently works for PECDAR, a Palestinian-Economic research institute. He serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Engineers' Association of Palestine as well as on the boards of other NGOs.

He was twice imprisoned by Israel for his political activity. Mr. Zeidan is fluent in English and Hebrew.

Atif Adwan - Minister of Refugee Affairs (Hamas)

Mr. Adwan is from Beit Hanoun in the Gaza Strip. He obtained his Bachelor's degree in political science from Cairo University and his Master's and doctorate in the United Kingdom. In 1996 he was appointed associate professor at the Islamic University in Gaza, attaining full professorship in 2001. Mr. Adwan is also the head of the Mustaqbal Research Institute in Gaza.

In 1971, he was imprisoned by Israel for three years for his political activity and has since been imprisoned several times without charge or trial. In 1992, he was exiled to Lebanon for a year owing to his membership in Hamas. For a number of years, he served as a political and economic advisor to Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.

Mr. Adwan is the author of 18 books in the fields of political science, Palestinian studies, and Hamas and its leadership. He is a member of the Palestine National Council, the Palestinian government in exile.

He is married with seven children.

Aziz Dweik - Speaker of the PLC (Hamas)

Mr. Dweik was born in 1948 in Nablus, though he hails from Hebron. With an extensive educational background, he holds three Master's degrees (in education, city planning and regional planning), and obtained his Ph.D. in Regional and Architecture Planning from the University of Pennsylvania. Upon his return from the United States, he founded the Geography Department at Najah University in Nablus where he served as the department's head. He was the head of the Higher Education Committee and a member of the Scientific Research Committee at Najah University.

Mr. Dweik has been imprisoned several times by Israel. In 1992, he was one of 416 Hamas activists deported to Lebanon. During his exile, he served as the English language spokesperson for the deportees. Mr. Dweik has authored several books.

He is married with seven children.