New Palestinian Authority cabinet face huge challenges
Amidst the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) recent reforms, the new cabinet continues to face huge challenges amidst Israel’s war on Gaza, according to The Arab Weekly and agencies on April 1st.
The newly appointed Prime Minister, Mohammed Mustafa, announced his cabinet “will work on formulating visions to reunify the institutions, including assuming responsibility for Gaza”.
Following pressure from the US, the PA – and its 88-year-old President, Mahmoud Abbas – has recently been under pressure to undergo reforms and bolster its authority ahead of reuniting a post-war Gaza and the West Bank under a single authority.
Following the 2007 elections in Gaza that saw Hamas take power, the Fatah party, which Abbas leads, lost control.
During a meeting between President Abbas and US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, in January, Blinken called on Abbas to make “administrative reforms” and that the new government must “meet the aspirations of the Palestinian people and deliver for them”.
This follows the resignation of former Prime Minister, Mohammed Shtayyeh, along with his entire cabinet, on February 26th, stating the decision came “in light of the political, security and economic developments related to the aggression of our people in Gaza and the unprecedented escalation in the West Bank and in the city of Jerusalem.”
READ: Palestinian PM steps down over post-conflict Gaza plans
But according to prime minister Mustafa, ending the Israel-Hamas war is the cabinet’s “top national priority”.
Formerly a World Bank economist and close advisor of Abbas, Mustafa reported the cabinet’s goal also included “reconstruction” of the Palestinian territories, including the besieged Gaza strip that has suffered 6 months of Israeli bombardment. In addition, he highlighted the importance of finding a solution for Israel’s increasing annexation of east Jerusalem and confronting internal corruption in the PA.
Mustafa’s cabinet – also called the Council of Ministers – is made up of 23 ministers, including 4 women and 6 ministers from Gaza. The new female minister included Palestinian-Armenian, Varsen Aghabekian, who works under Mustafa in the foreign ministry.
Despite only being sworn in several days ago, the new PA is already facing internal opposition in tackling the present challenges facing it.
Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, in addition to the PA’s allegations of corruption and collusion with Israel, have made the administration, and Abbas, deeply unpopular.
“It is broke and it is in debt and cannot pay its salaries, so it needs immediate financial support,” said former PA minister, Ali Jarbawi.
“Thirdly it needs a political horizon, from the international community, and a commitment to the two-state solution” dependent on if the “Israeli government, the army and settlers in the West Bank ease the pressure” against Palestinians, Jarbawi added.
Following October 7th approximately 400,000 Palestinians have been left unemployed in the West bank, compounding the severe economic crisis. Employees of the Palestine Authority have also failed to be paid, further exacerbating the situation.
READ: West Bank economy collapse leaves thousands unemployed
The PA’s future rule of Gaza and the West Bank also rests upon the acceptance by the main competing political parties, Fatah, and Hamas.
However, the former Gazan health minister and senior Hamas leader, Bassem Naim, has criticised Abbas’ reforms.
“His hijacking of the unified Palestinian decision-making” threatens “our cause at this very critical stage in the history of our people,” Naim announced.
A joint statement from Hamas, Palestine Islamic Jihad, and the Marxist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, stated that the new cabinet will not benefit the Palestinian cause, but cause divide.
Citizens of Ramallah similarly expressed scepticism.
“Changing the government will not solve anything because change to us comes only from the outside” said 56-year-old, Suleiman Nassar.
He added, “We know very well that any minister or any Palestinian government will not get in without an American or Israeli” approval.
The Arab Weekly / Agencies
