Palestinian president appoints long-time adviser as prime minister

President Mahmoud Abbas has designated Mohammad Mustafa as the new prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, responsible for governing parts of the occupied West Bank. Mustafa, an economist educated in the United States and a former high-ranking official at the World Bank, has served as a longstanding advisor to the president.

This appointment follows the resignation of Mustafa’s predecessor, Mohammed Shtayyeh, three weeks prior, who cited the “evolving situation in the Gaza Strip” as the reason for his departure.

President Abbas faces pressure from the United States to implement reforms within the Palestinian Authority, particularly in preparation for potential governance over Gaza following the conclusion of the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Notably, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently presented a vision for Gaza’s future that excludes any role for the Palestinian Authority.