▪︎ Cabinet renews call on Arab and Islamic states to assume their responsibilities to halt the so-called E1 settlement plan.

▪︎ Cabinet called for increased international pressure to open border crossings and allow the entry of humanitarian relief and reconstruction supplies.

▪︎ Cabinet instructed all relevant authorities to operate as a 24/7 crisis cell to facilitate the return of pilgrims and travelers and ease congestion at border crossings.

▪︎ Cabinet recommended to the President the appointment of a Head of the Environment Quality Authority and a Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs, following a competitive selection process.

▪︎ Cabinet approved increasing the quantities of selected medicines for Ministry of Health facilities.

▪︎ Cabinet approved the recommendations of the National Team tasked with developing a framework for land settlement in areas classified as "Area C".

RAMALLAH, January 13, 2026 (WAFA) — Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Mustafa on Tuesday instructed the Emergency Ministerial Committee for Emergency Action in the Northern West Bank to intensify coordination with international partners to secure available financial resources in preparation for reconstruction. This came after the Cabinet reviewed the details of the reconstruction plan for the Northern West Bank prepared through joint efforts by the relevant institutions.

In its weekly meeting held in Ramallah, the Cabinet held the international community and the Israeli occupation authorities fully responsible for the deaths of children in the Gaza Strip due to extreme cold, amid the flooding, uprooting, and destruction of tens of thousands of makeshift tents sheltering the internally displaced families.

The Cabinet called for immediate international pressure on the Israeli occupation to bring this humanitarian catastrophe to an end, which cannot be addressed without lifting the Israeli blockade, opening border crossings, and urgently allowing the entry of humanitarian aid, construction materials, and mobile housing units (caravans) to save lives.

The Cabinet was briefed on interventions undertaken by the Government Operations Room for Emergency Interventions for the Gaza Strip, including the provision of hundreds of tents to families in flood-affected areas, relocating hundreds of families to safer locations, continuing the repair of water networks, strengthening water resources, clearing rubble from certain roads and vital sites, and other relief interventions.

The Cabinet also renewed its call on Arab and Islamic states to shoulder their responsibilities to halt the Israeli occupation’s measures aimed at forcibly displacing Palestinians from Jerusalem and appropriating land to implement the so-called illegal "E1" colonial-settlement plan. It warned of the grave consequences of this plan, including the displacement of Palestinian Bedouin communities, the demolition of dozens of Palestinian homes, and the fragmentation of Palestinian urban contiguity in service of settlement expansion and land seizure.

On a related note, the Cabinet strongly condemned the Israeli occupation authorities’ recent measures and restrictions targeting the operation of international and humanitarian organizations in the Palestinian Territory, including recent measures to cut electricity and water supplies to UNRWA buildings in occupied Jerusalem. The Cabinet described these actions as a dangerous escalation that targets the Agency’s legal and humanitarian existence and directly undermines the educational, health, and relief services provided to Palestine refugees.

The Cabinet further instructed the relevant authorities to operate as a 24/7 crisis cell to facilitate the return of pilgrims and travelers and ease congestion at border crossings, while calling on the international community to pressure the Israeli occupation to facilitate travel and keep crossings open around the clock.

In another context, and in line with the Government’s policy directions and the implementation of its reform program—grounded in enhancing transparency and integrity and upholding the principles of justice and equal opportunity—the Cabinet recommended to the President the appointment of a Head of the Environment Quality Authority and a Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs, following the retirement of the former Deputy Minister upon reaching the legal retirement age. The two positions were filled through a competitive process, pursuant to an open call for applications, in which a number of public servants competed. Candidates were interviewed by specialized committees and assessed based on clearly defined professional criteria relevant to the requirements of the two positions.

The Cabinet also approved the recommendations of the National Team tasked with developing a framework for land settlement in the Oslo-classified Area "C," including intensifying legal efforts— in coordination with local authorities and relevant bodies— to defend citizens’ lands and to halt and freeze settlement procedures imposed by the Israeli occupation aimed at seizing additional Palestinian land.

Additionally, the Cabinet approved increasing quantities of selected medicines for Ministry of Health facilities.

In another agenda item, the Cabinet discussed, in second reading, the draft regulation on licensing and fees for trust service providers, aimed at regulating and governing company operations and supporting the transition from a traditional to a digital economy while safeguarding the rights of all parties.

The Cabinet also discussed, in first reading, the strategic roadmap for establishing the Palestinian national digital identity as a foundational requirement for advancing digital transformation—one of the core sovereign and developmental pillars of the State of Palestine.

At the conclusion of the session, the Cabinet extended its congratulations to the Palestinian people on the occasion of Al-Isra’ wal-Mi’raj, which falls on Friday, 27 Rajab (16 January 2026), praying that this occasion returns with the achievement of national goals through liberation and the realization of the independent Palestinian state.

T.R.