Palestinian government of technocrats may be formed in Ramallah by end of week

A new Palestinian government, consisting of technocrats, may be formed in Ramallah by the end of this week, Sky News Arabia said citing an official source in the administration of West Bank-based Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

 

According to it, Chairman of the Board of the Palestine Investment Fund Mohammad Mustafa is the most likely candidate to the prime minister’s post.

 

As reported earlier, the government headed by Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh will resign on Monday, February 26. A source close to the Palestinian leader told Al Mayadeen that the cabinet will continue to function as a caretaker until a new government is formed.

 

According to the source, Abbas is taking this step under pressure "from regional countries, the international community, and the United States." According to the source, the decision aims "to stop the war on the Gaza Strip, secure international guarantees for the full withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from Gaza, halt Israeli incursions into the occupied West Bank, and lift the financial siege imposed on the Palestinian Authority." He stressed that the next step is "achieving a national consensus for all Palestinian factions, including Hamas."

 

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Mustafa said that the costs of restoring destroyed housing in the Gaza Strip will amount to $15 bln. According to him, the shelling attacks of residential areas in the enclave resulted in 350,000 housing units being completely or partially destroyed.