RAMALLAH, May 16, 2012 (WAFA) – A new 24-member government headed by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad was sworn-in Wednesday in Ramallah in front of President Mahmoud Abbas.
The cabinet had nine new ministers, including a finance minister replacing Fayyad who had kept this post almost uninterrupted for the past nine years.
Fayyad formed his first government in June 2007 after the armed Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip.
The cabinet had resigned in May of last year after signing the reconciliation agreement to allow for the formation of a new unity government of technocrats that was supposed to be headed by Abbas.
However, as it has become clear that the reconciliation agreement is not going to be implemented any time soon, Abbas decided to ask Fayyad to form a new government after many cabinet ministers had left the government.
The new cabinet includes:
1-Salam Fayyad, prime minister (incumbent)
2-Nabil Qassis, finance minister (new)
3-Riad Malki, foreign minister
4-Said Abu Ali, interior
5-Yousef Abu Safieh, environment
6-Ahmad Majdalani, labor
7-Khaled Qawasmi, local government
8-Lamis Alami, education
9-Mahmoud Habbash, Muslim affairs and waqf
10-Siham Barghouti, culture
11-Ali Jarbawi, higher education (formerly planning)
12-Majida Masri, social affairs
13-Maher Ghneim, works and housing
14-Rabiha Diab, women
15-Issa Qaraqi, prisoners
16-Jawad Naji, economy (new)
17-Rola Ma’aiya, tourism (new)
18-Safa Nasser Eddin, telecommunications (new)
19-Ali Abu Zuhri, transportation (new)
20-Adnan Husseini, Jerusalem (new)
21-Ali Muhanna, justice (new)
22-Mahmoud Abu Ramadan, state minister for planning (new)
23-Hani Abdeen, health (new)
24-Walid Assaf, agriculture (new)
