Abbas tasks Mohammad Mustafa to form new Palestinian govt

RAMALLAH -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday tasked Mohammad Mustafa to form the 19th government, the official news agency WAFA reported.

Mustafa is the head of the Palestine Investment Fund and a senior economic advisor to Abbas, according to the report.

His appointment comes after the Palestinian government, led by former Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, resigned more than two weeks ago in light of challenging circumstances amid the developments in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Jerusalem.

Also, it coincided with mounting pressure on Abbas to reform the Palestinian Authority and initiate the establishment of a political framework capable of governing a future Palestinian state in the aftermath of the Gaza conflict.

A Palestinian source, who preferred not to mention his name, said Mustafa would work to form a technocratic government of experts, with one of its tasks being the reconstruction of post-conflict Gaza.