President Abbas Appoints US Graduate Economist Mohammad Mustafa as Prime Minister of Palestine

JAKARTA - President of the Palestinian Authority (PA) Mahmoud Abbas appointed Dr. Mohammad Mustafa as prime minister to form a new government, according to the official WAFA news agency on Thursday local time.

"I elect you as the Prime Minister appointed in the next government to commit to the highest interests of the Palestinian people, defending their achievements, protecting their achievements, developing and advancing them," President Abbas said in a presidential decree, as posted by WAFA, reported by CNN, March 15.

Mustafa has been a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) since 2022 and has served as deputy prime minister and economy minister in previous governments, according to WAFA.

Mustafa himself is an economist graduated from the United States, who was once an economic advisor to President Abbas, quoted from Al Jazeera.

In a statement announcing the appointment, President Abbas asked Mustafa to draw up a plan to reunite governments in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, lead reforms in government, security services, and the economy, and fight corruption.

Mustafa will replace former Prime Minister Mohammed Shttayah, who resigned in February along with his government.

Shtayyeh opened the door to a national unity government, including Hamas in his resignation statement in February, without explicitly naming the militant group.

It is known that the internationally recognized PA, which is dominated by the Fatah party, exercises limited self-rule in the occupied West Bank, but lost control of Gaza to Hamas in 2007.

Fatah and Hamas are expected to meet in Moscow, Russia this week for talks.