Highly criticized – including within its own population – the Palestinian Authority appears even more weakened since the start of the war in Gaza. It is in this context that a new Prime Minister was appointed this Thursday, March 14 by President Mahmoud Abbas. The latter chose one of his followers, Mohammad Mustafa, 69 years old, who worked in particular at the World Bank.
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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has appointed economist Mohammad Mustafa as the new prime minister, following the February 26 resignation of the previous government. Economist, president of the Palestinian sovereign fund, Mohammad Mustafa was already Minister of Economy of the Palestinian Authority. This international civil servant takes office in the middle of the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
At the end of February, Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh presented the resignation of his governmentarguing for the need for a new policy taking into account “ of the new reality in the Gaza Strip ” and ” urgent need for an inter-Palestinian consensus “.
In recent months, many Palestinians have criticized President Abbas, 88 years old and last elected in 2005, for his “ incapacity » in the face of Israeli raids in the Gaza Strip.
Since fratricidal clashes in June 2007, the Palestinian leadership has been divided between the Palestinian Authority of Mahmoud Abbas, which exercises limited power in the West Bank – territory occupied since 1967 by Israel –, while Hamas is in power in the Gaza Strip. ravaged by war.
“His appointment is a form of takeover by Mahmoud Abbas”
Pierre Duquesne is a former French diplomat. At the time when he was working on aid to Palestine, he rubbed shoulders with Mohammad Mustafa, the man who had just been appointed Palestinian Prime Minister: “ He is extremely close to President Mahmoud Abbas, of whom he was economic advisor. His appointment is a form of takeover by Mahmoud Abbas. Symmetrically, he is someone who, seen from abroad, worked for around fifteen years in the World Bank group, so he has the language and references that may suit donors. After the 2014 Gaza war, he was specifically tasked with leading reconstruction operations “, he explains.
Difficult to see Mohammad Mustafa embodying the “ Revitalized Palestinian Authority » that the United States is calling for to govern the reunified West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Furthermore, the name of Mohammad Mustafa is cited in the vast international financial scandal of the “Panama Papers”. A shadow that will not help the Palestinian Authority rid itself of criticism of corruption in its ranks.
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