PA PM Mustafa forms cabinet, calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza

Mustafa, an ally to PA chief Mahmoud Abbas and a leading business figure, was appointed Premier this month with a mandate to help reform the Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Reuters reports.

He was also assigned to lead the relief and rebuilding of Gaza, which has been shattered by more than five months of war, while he performs double-duty as Foreign Minister, replacing Riyad Al-Maliki, who had served in the position since 2009.

Abbas, who as President remains, by far, the most powerful figure in the PA, appointed the new government in a demonstration of willingness to meet international demands for change in the administration.

He approved Mustafa’s cabinet with financial expert, Omar Al-Bitar, as Finance Minister and Muhamad Al Amour, who served as the president of the Palestinian Businessmen Association, as Economy Minister, but kept Ziad Hab Al-Reeh, former chief of the PA’s Internal Intelligence Agency, as Interior Minister, WAFA said.

The new cabinet will also include a State Minister for “relief affairs”.

Mustafa said in a cabinet statement addressed to Abbas that the first national priority is an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and a complete Israeli withdrawal from the enclave, in addition to allowing humanitarian aid to enter in large quantities and reaching all areas, WAFA reported.

“In order to enable the launch of the recovery process and preparation for reconstruction, stop the aggression and settlement activities, and curb settlers’ terrorism in the West Bank,” Mustafa added.