Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas swore in a new Palestinian Government today in the Ramallah Muqata’a.
So far, it’s being called the “new government”… [UPDATE [see above]: the following day, PM Hamdallah willl refer to it as “a national consensus government”…]
This group portrait [minus those stuck in Gaza, and it turns out there are four] was taken after the new ministers present were sworn in, one-by-one, and was posted on Twitter here by @TPM [Talking Points Memo], and illustrates their post, here — [AP Photo / Majdi Mohammed] :
Putting together information from several sources, plus my own monitoring of the event televised live at 1:00 pm, this is the best I could do to come up with a list of the ministers in the new governmen:
1. Rami Hamdallah – Prime Minister + Interior Minister
2. Ziyad Abu Amr – Deputy PM + Minister of Culture – originally from Gaza, not living there
3. Muhammad Mustafa – Deputy PM + Minister of National Economy
4. Shukri Bishara – Finance Minister + Planning Minister
5. Riyad al-Maliki – Foreign Minister
6. Adnan Husseini – Minister of Jerusalem Affairs
Three from Gaza [CORR: there are four {4} living in Gaza who were denied permission by Israel to leave and travel to Ramallah, and there was no videoconference of the swearing-in ceremony, either – the fourth is #13, see below, who is also the 3rd lady minister in this new government]…
7. Mustafa Salim as-Saqqa – [Gaza = absent] – Minister of Justice
8. Mufeed Hassayneh – [Gaza = absent] – Minister of Public Works + Housing
9. Ma’moun Abu Shahla – [Gaza = absent] – Labor Minister
Objections from Hamas in Gaza centered primarily around Abbas’ planned elimination of a Ministry of Prisoners’ Affairs [due to objections from major donors, especially the USA]. The objections were resolved at the last minute by preemption + obfuscation:
10. Shawqi al-Aiyssa – Minister of Agriculture + Minister of Social Affairs
It was later explained – incorrectly, and this was just part of the confusion – that al-Aiyssa was given a third portfolio, Prisoners… but at the moment he was sworn in, no such thing was announced.
UPDATE 1: It became clear hours later that in fact he was NOT sworn in as Minister of Prisoner Affairs, as I confirmed when I re-watched the video when it was shown during the 9 pm news and when I spoke to Palestinian Government Spokesman Dr. Ehab Bseisso [on Tuesday afternoon June 2], who told me that PM Rami Hamdallah had appointed Shawqi al-Aiysa, AFTER the swearing-in ceremony — just to “oversee” Prisoners’ Affairs…
UPDATE 2: PM Hamdallah said to the media the next morning [again, see above]: “Concerning the issue of transforming the Ministry of Detainees to a commission under the PLO, the government regards this as the part of the President’s mandate and the PLO’s responsibility. For the time being, Mr. Shawqi Al-Ayasseh will assume the role of caretaker of the Ministry of Detainees”.
Three women ministers – previously, there was never more than one at a time
11. Rula Maaya’ – [a woman, who served in the same post in the immediately preceeding government] – Tourism + Antiquities Minister
12. Khawla al-Shakhsheer – [a woman] – Education and Higher Education Minister
13. Hayfa al-Agha – [a woman – and UPDATE: yes, she is from Gaza, and that’s why she was absent from the Muqata’a ceremony] – Women’s Affairs Minister
14. Jawad Awwad – Health Minister
15. Allam Moussa – Communications Minister + Transport Minister
16. Yusef Day’is – Minister of Awqaf [Islamic trusts foundation] + Religious Affairs
17. Nayef Abu Khalaf – Minister of Local Governance
Palestine TV aired what seemed to be a pre-recorded speech by Mahmoud Abbas, a few minutes after the swearing-in ceremony in the Muqata’a.
A little later, Palestine TV aired statements by Abbas + Hamdallah at initial meeting in Muqata’a of new Palestinian government [and announced that an Ismail Haniyeh statement was expected…] Abbas spoke to the new cabinet about elections [presidential, Palestine Legislative Council + also, for the 1st time ever, for the PLO’s Palestine National Council]; he also stressed the 1967 borders, which he stressed include East Jerusalem.
The new Palestinian government is supposed to prepare the way for long-delayed elections in which Hamas’ electoral strength will be tested + measured.
Earlier today, Haaretz’ Barak Ravid reported that, “barring a last minute dispute”, a new Palestinian government will be sworn in today + Israel’s Security Cabinet will meet afterward…
Ravid reported herethat “Abbas pressed for the swearing-in on assumption that any further delay wld lead to additional disputes” [w/Hamas, or others, on posts]
Also in the morning, Ma’an News Agency reported here that Mahmoud Abbas is re-shuffling his appointed Governors, just ahead of his formation of a new government. According to the @MaanNewsAgency report, the just-replaced Governors of Bethlehem, Abdul-Fattah Hamayil, and of Jenin, Talal Dweikat. will move to the President’s office in the Ramallah Muqata’a. Dweikat is known in particular for tough crackdowns in name of security
[Before his posting in Jenin, which followed an attack on the previous appointed Governor there, Talal Dweikat was Governor of Tulkarem].
Andalou News Agency [Frence] later reported here that “Le nouveau gouvernement palestinien compte 18 ministres dont le chef du gouvernement, ses deux adjoints, le secrétaire général du conseil des ministres et cinq ministres établis à Gaza”. [Translation by the author: The new Palestinian government has 18 Ministers including the Prime Minister + his two deputies + the Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers, as well as five [sic] ministers in/from Gaza].
It is reported here that “Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and his ‘cabinet’ in Gaza have resigned, Hamas spokeswoman Israa al-Mudallal said, ‘paving the way for the new ministers of the consensus government’… Haniyeh welcomed the new cabinet [n.b. – sworn in at the Ramallah Muqata’a in front of Palestinian + PLO President Mahmoud Abbas] as ‘a government of one people and one political system’. ‘We’re leaving the government, but not the nation. We’re leaving the ministries but not the question of the nation’, Haniyeh said in a televised speech”…
The Andalou News Agency reported reported [in French] here that “Le président Mahmoud Abbas a téléphoné lundi au vice-président du Bureau politique du mouvement Hamas, Ismaël Haniyeh, pour les féliciter des efforts qu’il a consentis pour mettre fin à la scission palestinienne”. [Translation by this author: President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday phoned the Vice-President of the Hamas Politbureau, Ismael Haniyeh, to congratulate hom for his efforts to end the Palestinian division”].
Israel’s Security Cabinet convened after these developments to discuss how to react, and how to proceed…
And, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry [ #SecKerry ] is reportedly coming to Jordan for 2 days during which time he’s planning to meet with Palestinian President Abbas [seems this will be on Wednesday].
UPDATE: However, the State Dept Spox denied any such plan, when asked about this on Monday evening in Washington — from the State Dept transcript:
QUESTION: Is there any meeting between Secretary Kerry and President Abbas in Jordan this Wednesday?
MS. PSAKI: No, there’s not a meeting planned.
The State Dept transcript is posted here…