A Palestinian government comprising technocrats may be established in Ramallah by the week's end, as per a report by Sky News Arabia, citing an official source within President Mahmoud Abbas's administration. The leading contender for the position of the new prime minister is Mohammed Mustafa, the Head of the Palestinian Investment Fund.
Earlier reports from Ramallah indicated that Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh's government, in office since 2019, will tender its resignation on Monday, February 26. However, a source within the Palestinian leadership informed Al Mayadeen TV that current cabinet members will continue in their roles until the formation of a new government.
The decision for the government's resignation is attributed to pressure from certain regional actors and the United States. The move is tied to ongoing mediation efforts to resolve the conflict in the Gaza Strip and secure international guarantees for the withdrawal of occupying forces and the lifting of the blockade on the Palestinian enclave. The next phase involves achieving national consensus among all Palestinian factions, including Hamas, prior to establishing the new government.
Mohammed Mustafa, speaking at the Davos international economic forum, estimated that $15 billion would be required to reconstruct housing in the Gaza Strip, destroyed by Israeli aggression. He noted that the bombardment resulted in the destruction of 350,000 housing units.
Meanwhile, consultations resumed in Doha among delegations from Egypt, Israel, Qatar, and the United States to negotiate a settlement in the Gaza Strip. Discussions focus on the terms of a potential truce, the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian ones, and a roadmap to prevent a power vacuum in the enclave following the cessation of hostilities.
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Photo: יעקב/Creative Commons 3.0
Based on materials from TASS