Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas intends to appoint Muhammad Mustafa, a detailed economic adviser, as prime minister in the coming days, according to two Palestinian officials, a European Union diplomat and a fourth person with knowledge of the matter.
If Abbas officially appoints Mustafa, it might be tantamount to rejecting international efforts to encourage the eight-term Palestinian leader to strengthen his position as an independent prime minister who can revive a sclerotic power, officials and analysts say.
While Mr. Abbas was committed to appointing Mr. Mustafa, a long-time senior insider, he still held final consultations with Arab countries before signing a presidential decree entrusting Mr. Mustafa to form a brand new government, one in every of the Palestinian ones, officials and a European Union diplomat said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to communicate with the media.
Mr. Abbas may change his mind, and the decision to appoint Mr. Mustafa will only be final after Mr. Abbas signs the decree. Once the president of the Palestinian Authority appoints a first-rate minister, that person has three weeks to form a government, but may take an extra two weeks if essential, in accordance with Palestinian fundamental law.
In late February, Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh resigned from his cabinet, citing the need for a brand new government that “takes into account the emerging reality in the Gaza Strip.” Mr. Shtayyeh’s government continued to act as caretaker government.
Hamas led a deadly attack from the Gaza Strip on Israel on October 7, and Israel responded with intense bombardment and invasion, vowing to break the group’s grip on the enclave. However, these events have raised difficult questions about how post-war Gaza is governed and reconstructed.
The Palestinian Authority has limited governing powers in the West Bank. It lost control of Gaza to Hamas in an influence struggle in 2007.
In recent months, the United States has called for reform of the widely unpopular Palestinian Authority, hoping it could eventually take over the reins of presidency in Gaza after the war. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected any such role for the Office.
The majority of Palestinian society views the Palestinian Authority as tainted by corruption, mismanagement and cooperation with Israel. Because there isn’t any parliament in government-controlled areas, 88-year-old Abbas has long ruled by decree and exercises wide influence over the judicial and prosecutorial systems. No presidential elections have been held in the Palestinian territories since 2005, and no legislative elections have been held since 2006.
While the Biden administration has not told Abbas whom to nominate as prime minister, it has conveyed that it hopes for an independent one that can be acceptable to extraordinary Palestinians, the international community and Israel, according to Western diplomats who spoke on the condition of anonymity , because they weren’t authorized to talk to the media.
In the Palestinian Authority, the prime minister is meant to supervise the work of ministries, but analysts say Abbas often intervenes in the decision-making process.
Nasser al-Qudwa, a former foreign minister whose name has been mentioned as a possible prime minister, said Mustafa’s appointment would mean “no real change.”
“This would replace one employee named Mohammed with another employee named Muhammad, while Abbas still holds all the cards. What is the change?” said Mr. Qudwa, a fierce opponent of Mr. Abbas, also often called Abu Mazen. “Abu Mazen wants to maintain the status quo. He wants to keep all the power in his own hands.
In addition to serving as an adviser to Mr. Abbas, Mr. Mustafa, an economist educated at George Washington University in Washington, runs the Palestine Investment Fund, whose board is appointed by the president of the government. Previously, he was the Minister of Economy and Deputy Prime Minister of this body.
For weeks, Mr. Abbas has signaled his desire to appoint Mr. Mustafa. In January, he sent Mustafa to the World Economic Forum’s annual conference in Davos, where heads of state and foreign ministers gather to discuss global affairs.
At the conference, Mustafa stated that he believed the Palestinian Authority could improve its governance. “We don’t want to make excuses for anyone,” he said in a wide-ranging discussion with Borge Brende, chairman of the forum. “The Palestinian Authority can do more to build better institutions.”
Any future Palestinian prime minister will likely face enormous challenges that would include trying to rebuild the devastated Gaza Strip and improving the government’s credibility.
Jehad Harb, a Ramallah-based analyst, agreed that Mustafa’s appointment would mean Abbas has no intention of relinquishing power, but said judgment on the recent government ought to be reserved until the public knows the identity of his ministers and what power and independence they might have perform.
“There may be an opportunity, but we may also see a missed opportunity, as is usually the case,” he said.
