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Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh submitted his resignation to President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday, paving the way for a cabinet reshuffle that could open doors for reforms.
The new government is expected to be a technocratic one, with Mr Abbas still at the helm. Secretary General of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation Hussein Al Sheikh is also expected to remain part of the new government, Tahani Mustafa, senior analyst at the Crisis Group, told The National.
Ms Mustafa has been in touch with high-ranking Palestinian officials within the Palestinian Authority (PA) and ministries in the occupied West Bank.
There has been increasing pressure by the US on the PA to make reforms since the Israel war in Gaza began in October. In January, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the “day after” scenario for Gaza should include the creation of an independent Palestinian state government by a reformed PA.
Israeli officials have repeatedly said the future of Gaza would not include the militant group Hamas, while also undercutting the PA's ability to govern the strip.
"The goal of change is to present a new government that is internationally acceptable," a Palestinian official told The National.
"A government that enjoys some credibility and is capable of implementing many international requirements, including financial control and auditing, in addition to being technocrat."
The main candidate to lead the government is Mohammad Mustafa, "an expert with an international dimension and linked to the world of investment", another source said.
Born in 1954, Mr Mustafa has been a senior adviser to Mr Abbas on economic affairs since 2005. He has also served as deputy prime minister of the PA and minister for economy.
He has been chairman of the Palestine Investment Fund and is the founding chief executive of telecoms provider PalTel.
The source said the next stage may feature plans for reconstruction in Gaza, a new authority and the possibility of international recognition of the idea of a Palestinian state. Therefore, "what is required is an internationally accepted personality, capable of transcending the idea of Hamas being in power".
The US administration was hoping Mr Abbas – the ageing, unpopular leader of the PA – would agree to reform the government so that it can administer the occupied West Bank as well as the Gaza Strip after the conflict ends, as part of an effort towards the elusive two-state solution.
"The leadership of the Palestinian Authority is a question for the Palestinians themselves to decide," US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said on Monday.
"We think those steps are positive, we think they're an important step to achieving a reunited Gaza and West Bank under the Palestinian Authority, so we will continue to encourage them to take those steps."
Mr Abbas, 88, known colloquially as Abu Mazen, has been President for 18 years and has shown little sign he is willing to step aside to allow for a new generation to lead.
Established in 1993 as part of the Oslo Accords, the PA, from its base in Ramallah, administers civilian affairs and co-ordinates with Israel on security.
Ms Tahani said the PA had been reluctant to back any day-after proposals for the first three months since the beginning of the war in Gaza on October 7 for fear of appearing to succumb to Israeli force.
But that has since changed, she said.
“Since mid-December, you’ve seen the PA put out statements that effectively say they would back anything that guarantees their survival.”
The new government will not include members of Hamas, Ms Mustafa said, and is in line with a US pan for the “day after” in Gaza.
“They’ve been talking about it in technocratic, securitised terms, which means you’re not going to have an election, or democratically reformed PA.”
During his speech at Monday's cabinet session, Mr Shtayyeh said that moving forward, the Palestinian government would need to take into account the “emerging reality in the Gaza Strip”.
The resignation is in light of the “political, security and economic developments” of the Israeli war in Gaza and “unprecedented escalation” in the West Bank, Mr Shtayyeh said.
The emphasis of the new government will also be mostly on security and logistics, Ms Tahani said, with plans in place to send “over 1,000 security personnel to Jordan for training”.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The specs: 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor
Price, base / as tested Dh220,000 / Dh320,000
Engine 3.5L V6
Transmission 10-speed automatic
Power 421hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 678Nm @ 3,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.1L / 100km
The specs: 2018 Honda City
Price, base: From Dh57,000
Engine: 1.5L, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 118hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 146Nm @ 4,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.8L / 100km
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Lowest Test scores
26 - New Zealand v England at Auckland, March 1955
30 - South Africa v England at Port Elizabeth, Feb 1896
30 - South Africa v England at Birmingham, June 1924
35 - South Africa v England at Cape Town, April 1899
36 - South Africa v Australia at Melbourne, Feb. 1932
36 - Australia v England at Birmingham, May 1902
36 - India v Australia at Adelaide, Dec. 2020
38 - Ireland v England at Lord's, July 2019
42 - New Zealand v Australia in Wellington, March 1946
42 - Australia v England in Sydney, Feb. 1888
Stage 5 results
1 Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 3:48:53
2 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana Pro Team -
3 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott -
4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:04
5 Ilnur Zakarin (RUS) CCC Team 0:00:07
General Classification:
1 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 20:35:04
2 Tadej Pogacar (SlO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:01
3 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana Pro Team 0:01:33
4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:48
5 Rafał Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:02:11
Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
- 1st Test India won by 304 runs at Galle
- 2nd Test Thursday-Monday at Colombo
- 3rd Test August 12-16 at Pallekele
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The past Palme d'Or winners
2018 Shoplifters, Hirokazu Kore-eda
2017 The Square, Ruben Ostlund
2016 I, Daniel Blake, Ken Loach
2015 Dheepan, Jacques Audiard
2014 Winter Sleep (Kış Uykusu), Nuri Bilge Ceylan
2013 Blue is the Warmest Colour (La Vie d'Adèle: Chapitres 1 et 2), Abdellatif Kechiche, Adele Exarchopoulos and Lea Seydoux
2012 Amour, Michael Haneke
2011 The Tree of Life, Terrence Malick
2010 Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Lung Bunmi Raluek Chat), Apichatpong Weerasethakul
2009 The White Ribbon (Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte), Michael Haneke
2008 The Class (Entre les murs), Laurent Cantet
THE BIO
Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13
Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier
Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife
What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents.
Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Mrs%20Chatterjee%20Vs%20Norway
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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