The Palestinian telecommunications minister on Thursday accused the attorney general of ordering the blocking of several websites, mainly supportive of former Fatah strongman Muhammad Dahlan, dpa reported.
Official sources told dpa that the minister, Abu Dakka, had submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Salam Fayyad effective May 1.
However, the sources said that his resignation came before reports surfaced about the attorney general, Ahmad Mughani, ordering the websites to be blocked.
In his resignation letter, Abu Dakka said he was leaving because the cabinet had already resigned a year ago and that he wanted to return to his private business.
But Abu Dakka told Voice of Palestine Radio that Mughani had taken "matters into his own hands" by ordering the websites blocked without government approval or a court order.
The Palestinian Na'an news website had reported Monday that the attorney general had ordered local internet providers to block access to eight websites considered supportive of Dahlan.
Dahlan's conflict with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had caused the central committee of Abbas' Fatah party to expel him and issue an order to arrest him on charges of corruption and defamation.
Dahlan had left the West Bank shortly before he was to be arrested.