Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday appointed Mohammad Mustafa, a prominent Palestinian businessman, and his long-time economic advisor as the new Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority (PA).
The appointment of Mustafa comes at a time when the United States is pushing the Palestinian Authority to restructure and improve their governance as part of Washington’s post-war vision for Gaza.
Who is Mohammad Mustafa?
Mohammad Mustafa is an independent executive committee member of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
A US-educated economist, Mustafa was born in the West Bank town of Tulkarem in 1954. Mustafa’s family was displaced from their West Bank home during his childhood, with them having to seek refuge in Kuwait.
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Mustafa pursued his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Baghdad University, and a master's degree and Ph.D. from The George Washington University. The 69-year-old Palestinian has held senior positions at the World Bank and previously served as deputy prime minister and economy minister.
As the deputy minister in 2013, Mustafa led a committee to rebuild Gaza after a seven-week war that claimed over 2,100 Palestinian lives.
In 2015, Mustafa was appointed as the chairman of the Palestine Investment Fund (PIF), which manages almost $1 billion in assets and finances projects throughout the occupied Palestinian territory.
Previously, Mohammad Mustafa has also advised the Kuwaiti government and the Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund.
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What is The Palestinian Authority?
The Palestinian Authority (PA) governs parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and was created with the initial aim of helping Palestine become an independent state. The PA, however, currently has limited power and operates under Israeli military control.
The PA was established through the Oslo Accords between Israel and the PLO, and has largely failed, with Israel expanding settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Currently, there is a significant division between Abbas's Fatah party in the West Bank and Hamas in Gaza. While Fatah's Palestinian Authority (PA) receives international recognition and support, Gaza, governed by Hamas and is labelled as terrorists by Western nations.
Why has Mohammad Mustafa been made PM?
Mohammad Mustafa's appointment comes in the wake of Mohammad Shtayyeh's resignation over two weeks ago. The former PM’s resignation is believed to be a result of the United States’ pressure to reform the Palestinian Authority.
“The decision to resign came in light of the unprecedented escalation in the West Bank and Jerusalem and the war, genocide and starvation in the Gaza Strip,” Shtayyeh said following his resignation.
“I see that the next stage and its challenges require new governmental and political arrangements that take into account the new reality in Gaza and the need for a Palestinian-Palestinian consensus based on Palestinian unity and the extension of unity of authority over the land of Palestine.”
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Speaking to Agence France-Presse (AFP), Palestinian analyst Abdul Majeed Sweilem said, “Mustafa's appointment represents an attempt to bolster Palestinian institutions and close some loopholes in the Palestinian Authority at a time when Abbas is under siege and under pressure from Israel and the United States.”
Mustafa would likely be seen as "acceptable to the Americans as he follows a liberal approach," Sweilem added.
The White House welcomed Mustafa’s appointment and in a statement, NSC Spokesperson Adrienne Watson said the “United States will be looking for this new government to deliver on policies and implementation of credible and far-reaching reforms.”
“A reformed Palestinian Authority is essential to delivering results for the Palestinian people and establishing the conditions for stability in both the West Bank and Gaza.”
