TEL AVIV, Israel, July 8 (UPI) -- Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas tendered his resignation Tuesday from the Palestinian Authority's main government body but it was rejected.
Abbas sent his letter of resignation from the Fatah Central Committee to Chairman Yasser Arafat, but Israel Radio said the Fatah unanimously refused to accept it.
The Ha'aretz newspaper said the resignation followed disagreements with critics of Abass's negotiation strategy with Israel. A suicide bombing Monday night that killed an Israeli woman was the first suicide bombing since Palestinian factions announced a ceasefire 10 days ago.
A West Bank-based cell of the militant Islamic Jihad said it was responsible for the bombing -- a protest of Israel's refusal to free all but a few hundred of up to 8,000 Palestinian prisoners.
But Islamic Jihad's Gaza-based leadership told Ha'aretz it is committed to the truce and knows nothing about the bombing.
Israel Tuesday renewed demands Abbas disband all militant groups as outlined in the so-called "road map" to peace.
