Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, has dismissed speculation that he might reconsider his decision to resign.
In his first public comment since the announcement yesterday that he was resigning, he told reporters: "My resignation is final".
But his comments appeared to suggest that while he intended to leave office for now he was leaving open the possibility of a reconciliation at a future date.
It has been speculated that a he could yet lead a reconstituted cabinet and that Palestinian President Yasser Arafat could refuse to accept the offer.
But Mr Arafat has sought to undermine his prime minister since appointing him in April under international pressure to share some of his powers and boost peacemaking, democratic and economic reforms.
His refusal to cede full control of the security forces to Mr Abbas has been the main source of tension.
In Ramallah, Fatah leaders will meet with Mr Arafat to review the reasons for the resignation and consider the next moves. Once the resignation becomes final, Mr Arafat has three weeks to name a successor.
His office said in a statement that he because Israel had not carried out its obligations under the road map, because the United States had not enforced Israeli compliance and because his detractors at home had constantly undermined him with "harsh and dangerous" incitement.
Mr Abbas has a reputation for shying away from confrontation. He is understood to have told a confidant today that he felt abandoned by all sides and was deeply hurt.
Analysts say Mr Abbas's resignation is unquestionably a victory for Mr Arafat and underlines that he remains "relevant" in Palestinian politics despite US and Israeli attempts to isolate him.
However if the veteran former guerrilla leader desides he cannot accept Mr Abbas's resignation the n he would have to concede greater or full control of the security forces.
"It might be in his interests to keep Abbas on, just as it is in the interests of Israel and the Americans," said a Western diplomat. "In the end, it is hard to see who really gains if Abbas goes."
But some analysts suggest the Middle East peace process is not working anyway so Mr Abbas's move will not make much difference to the internationally-backed "road map".
"I don't think there will be a great impact on the peace process because there was no peace process anyway," said Mr Ali al-Jirbawi, a Palestinian professor of international relations at Bir Zeit university.
"Maybe it's better now that things will come out in the open. It will be revealed that there was no implementation of the road map by Israel and there was no action by the United States to make Israel carry out the road map," he added.
Israel says the Palestinians have failed to carry out their obligations under the road map and blame them for the collapse of a truce which had been announced by Islamic militants.
"The truce was never alive, nor was the road map," Israeli political analyst Mr Gerald Steinberg said.
AP &