![Who is the new Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa?](https://i-invdn-com.investing.com/news/news_headline_open_108x81._800x533_L_1419519630.jpg)
![Who is the new Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa?](https://i-invdn-com.investing.com/news/news_headline_open_108x81._800x533_L_1419519630.jpg)
Written by Nidal Al Mughrabi and Ali Sawafta
CAIRO/RAMALLAH (Reuters) – Mohammad Mustafa, one of Palestine's leading businessmen, has been appointed prime minister of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and has overseen the restoration of Gaza from the Islamist Hamas rule. He is a rare ally of government chief Mahmoud Abbas.
A US-educated economist, he previously ran Palestinian telecommunications company Partel and more recently ran the PA's public Palestine Investment Fund (PIF), with approximately $1 billion in assets spread throughout the Palestinian territories. was funding the project.
He was selected 10 years ago to lead reconstruction efforts in the Gaza Strip after the recent war between Israel and the Islamic militant group Hamas.
Palestinian leaders hope he can emerge as a unifier this time as they prepare to rebuild the enclave after five months of Israeli shelling since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7.
The internationally recognized Palestinian Authority exercises limited autonomy in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, but lost control of Gaza to Hamas in 2007 and lost control of the Palestinian land after the Gaza War. The aim is to reunify the
Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, a member of Abbas's Fatah faction, resigned in February to pave the way for a unified government, and Fatah and Hamas are scheduled to meet in Moscow this week to discuss their future. Although Mustafa is close to Abbas, he is not a member of Fatah, which could reduce the scope for debate.
Mustafa faces major management and diplomatic challenges. The Gaza Strip is now reduced to rubble, with most of its 2.3 million residents forced to flee and in need of aid. The worst violence in decades has also occurred in the West Bank.
In addition to overseeing billions of dollars in international aid, Mustafa will need both political buy-in from Hamas and its supporters and cooperation from Israel in its efforts to eliminate Hamas. right.
Washington wants the PA to play a leading role in post-war governance of Gaza and is calling for major reforms to the way it operates.
Speaking before Mustafa's appointment, Palestinian economist Mohammad Abu Jayab said: „Everyone is in crisis. Fatah is in crisis in the West Bank, Hamas is clearly in crisis in Gaza. ” he said. Mustafa, 69, could be an „exit“ for both parties, he said.
October. 7 “Signs of a bigger problem”
Prime Minister Abbas appointed Mustafa as PIF chairman in 2015. Mustafa served as deputy prime minister for economic affairs from 2013 to 2014, heading a committee tasked with rebuilding Gaza after a seven-week war in which more than 2,100 Palestinians were killed.
Speaking at Davos on January 17, Mustafa said the „catastrophe and humanitarian impact“ of the current war is far greater than it was 10 years ago.
Gaza health authorities said more than 31,000 people were confirmed dead and thousands more believed to be buried under rubble.
Israel has said it will never cooperate with Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, which denies the October 7 attack, which killed 1,200 people and abducted 253, according to an Israeli tally.
In his remarks at Davos, Mustafa called the October 7 attack „unfortunate for everyone.“
„But this is also a symptom of a larger problem that the Palestinian people have been suffering constantly for 75 years,“ he said.
“To this day, we believe that Palestinian statehood is the way forward, and we look forward to achieving it this time so that all people in the region can live in safety and peace.” „There is,“ he said.
He is a member of the executive committee of Abbas' Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). The PLO recognized Israel at the start of the 1993 peace process and hoped to establish a Palestinian state in territory captured by Israel in the 1967 war. West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem.
Biden administration officials have previously said they urged Abbas to bring in new talent, including engineers and economic experts, to the PA, which was reorganized to help govern post-war Gaza. But they say they don't want to be seen as pressuring specific individuals for approval or rejection.
'The way forward'
Mustafa said the PA could do better „in terms of building better institutions and providing better governance so that Gaza and the West Bank can be reunited.“
But, he said, „unless occupation can be removed, a reformed government and a reformed system cannot actually build a good governance system or develop a proper economy.“
Mustafa holds a PhD in business administration and economics from George Washington University and has worked at the World Bank in Washington. He was born in the West Bank city of Turkum.
In remarks on January 17, he said $15 billion would be needed to rebuild housing alone.
He said he would continue to focus on humanitarian efforts in the short and medium term, and expressed hope that Gaza's borders would be opened and a recovery conference would be held.
Asked about Hamas's future role, Mustafa said: „The best way forward is to be as inclusive as possible,“ saying he hopes Palestinians will unite around the PLO's agenda. he added.