SALAM FAYYAD
Name: Salam Fayyad
Born: 1952 Deir al-Ghusun, West Bank
Dr Salam Fayyad (born 1952) is a Palestinian politician, who
on June 15, 2007, was appointed the Prime Minister of the Palestinian National
Authority. His appointment, justified by President Mahmoud Abbas on the basis of
"national emergency", has not been confirmed by the Palestinian Legislative
Council (PLC), the parliament of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA).
Until that date, Fayyad had been the Finance Minister of the Palestinian
National Authority in the Fatah interim government from 2002.
Fayyad is an internationally respected economist and politician. Salam
Fayyad received his MBA from St. Edwards University in 1980. Dr. Fayyad has
a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Texas at Austin, where he was a
student of William A. Barnett and where he did early research on the American
Divisia Monetary Aggregates, which he continued on the staff of the Federal
Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Fayyad began his career teaching economics at Yarmouk
University in Jordan, before joining the World Bank from 1987 - 1995. He
subsequently became the International Monetary Fund representative to the
Palestinian National Authority until 2001, before becoming its Finance Minister.
Upon resigning as Finance Minister, Fayyad ran as founder and leader of the new
Third Way political party in the Palestinian legislative election of 2006
alongside Hanan Ashrawi and Yasser Abd Rabbo. Fayyad and Ashrawi won seats in
the PLC.
He is seen as pro-Western and was predicted to be offered the post of Prime
Minister of the PNA by both Fatah, and as of January 26, 2006, also by the
winner of the elections: the List of Change and Reform (Hamas). In response to
the offer, Fayyad presented several conditions to becoming Prime Minister,
including that Hamas would recognize Israel, which Hamas declined.
On March 18, 2007, Fayyad was appointed Finance Minister of the Fatah-Hamas
unity government. On June 15, 2007, following the Hamas takeover of the Gaza
Strip, Fayyad was appointed Prime Minister of a new "independent" government (without
any Fatah or Hamas members) which is effectively supported by the Fatah and
Israel.
This appointment has been challenged as illegal, because while the Palestinian
Basic Law permits the President of the PNA to dismiss a sitting prime minister,
the appointment of a replacement requires the approval of the PLC. The law
provides that after removal of the Prime Minister (in this case, Ismail Haniyeh),
the outgoing prime minister heads a caretaker government. The current PLC, in
which Hamas holds a majority of seats, has not approved the appointments of
Fayyad or the balance of his new government. Fayyad's appointment was never
placed before, or approved by the PLC. Haniyeh has operate as Prime Minister
in Gaza, and is recognized by a large number of Palestinians as the legitimate
caretaker Prime Minister of the PNA. Anis al-Qasem, the Palestinian
constitutional lawyer who drafted the Basic Law, is among those who publicly
declared the appointment of Fayyad to be illegal.
Name: Salam Fayyad
Born: 1952 Deir al-Ghusun, West Bank
Dr Salam Fayyad (born 1952) is a Palestinian politician, who
on June 15, 2007, was appointed the Prime Minister of the Palestinian National
Authority. His appointment, justified by President Mahmoud Abbas on the basis of
"national emergency", has not been confirmed by the Palestinian Legislative
Council (PLC), the parliament of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA).
Until that date, Fayyad had been the Finance Minister of the Palestinian
National Authority in the Fatah interim government from 2002.
Fayyad is an internationally respected economist and politician. Salam
Fayyad received his MBA from St. Edwards University in 1980. Dr. Fayyad has
a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Texas at Austin, where he was a
student of William A. Barnett and where he did early research on the American
Divisia Monetary Aggregates, which he continued on the staff of the Federal
Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Fayyad began his career teaching economics at Yarmouk
University in Jordan, before joining the World Bank from 1987 - 1995. He
subsequently became the International Monetary Fund representative to the
Palestinian National Authority until 2001, before becoming its Finance Minister.
Upon resigning as Finance Minister, Fayyad ran as founder and leader of the new
Third Way political party in the Palestinian legislative election of 2006
alongside Hanan Ashrawi and Yasser Abd Rabbo. Fayyad and Ashrawi won seats in
the PLC.
He is seen as pro-Western and was predicted to be offered the post of Prime
Minister of the PNA by both Fatah, and as of January 26, 2006, also by the
winner of the elections: the List of Change and Reform (Hamas). In response to
the offer, Fayyad presented several conditions to becoming Prime Minister,
including that Hamas would recognize Israel, which Hamas declined.
On March 18, 2007, Fayyad was appointed Finance Minister of the Fatah-Hamas
unity government. On June 15, 2007, following the Hamas takeover of the Gaza
Strip, Fayyad was appointed Prime Minister of a new "independent" government (without
any Fatah or Hamas members) which is effectively supported by the Fatah and
Israel.
This appointment has been challenged as illegal, because while the Palestinian
Basic Law permits the President of the PNA to dismiss a sitting prime minister,
the appointment of a replacement requires the approval of the PLC. The law
provides that after removal of the Prime Minister (in this case, Ismail Haniyeh),
the outgoing prime minister heads a caretaker government. The current PLC, in
which Hamas holds a majority of seats, has not approved the appointments of
Fayyad or the balance of his new government. Fayyad's appointment was never
placed before, or approved by the PLC. Haniyeh has operate as Prime Minister
in Gaza, and is recognized by a large number of Palestinians as the legitimate
caretaker Prime Minister of the PNA. Anis al-Qasem, the Palestinian
constitutional lawyer who drafted the Basic Law, is among those who publicly
declared the appointment of Fayyad to be illegal.