BICOM

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas yesterday appointed 54-year-old academic Rami Hamdallah as the new PA Prime Minister.

Abbas summoned Hamdallah to his office in Ramallah to entrust him with forming the next government. Hamdallah has been president of Al-Najah University in Nablus since 1988, having received a doctorate in linguistics from the University of Lancaster, following a masters degree from the University of Manchester. Away from academia, Hamdallah has served as secretary-general of the Palestinian Central Elections Commission. However, he has no significant political or government experience and although he is a member of Abbas’ Fatah faction, he is widely viewed as an independent technocrat.

Reports say that Abbas reiterated yesterday during his meeting with Hamdallah that he is committed to the reconciliation agreements reached between Fatah and Hamas a few weeks ago, including the formation of a unity government. However, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri branded Hamdallah’s appointment as “illegal” as it had not received the approval of the Palestinian Legislative Council.

Hamdallah’s appointment was welcomed by US Secretary of State John Kerry, who has been making a concerted effort to kick-start direct talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Kerry said last night, “Together, we can choose the path of a negotiated two-state settlement” and hoped that Hamdallah would help build the institutions of an “independent Palestinian state that will live in peace, security, and economic strength alongside Israel.”

The appointment of Hamdallah follows the resignation earlier this year of Salam Fayyad, a respected economist who was popular with Western governments and was widely viewed as having developed important Palestinian infrastructure. However, he quit as Prime Minister following increasing tension with Abbas. Kerry yesterday praised Fayyad for having worked “tirelessly to build effective Palestinian institutions.”