Fayyad takes over PA's Jerusalem Affairs Ministry
Following Hatem Abdel-Qader's recent resignation, Palestinian PM says will oversee expansion of office's staff to boost Palestinian presence in Israeli capital
Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad announced Sunday that he will be taking over as head of the Ministry for Jerusalem affairs, this following the recent resignation of Hatem Abdel-Qader.
Fayyad said he will oversee the expansion of the office's workforce in order to embolden Palestinian presence in the eastern part of the Israeli capital.
After stepping down at the end of June, Abdel-Qader slammed the Palestinian government for neglecting Jerusalem, saying that "Fayyad's government fails to uphold its commitments to the city, which is undergoing a difficult period."
According to the Palestinian PM, the Authority's decision to establish the Jerusalem Affairs Ministry was aimed at "developing the Palestinian institutions in the city and support the residents in their struggle against the Israeli settlement enterprise."
Speaking during a meeting with heads of Palestinian institutions operating in east Jerusalem, Fayyad stressed that any peace agreement with Israel would have to include a solution to the dispute over Jerusalem and the Palestinian refugees. He referred to both these issues as the "core of the conflict."
On Saturday Fayyad made a fresh appeal to the United States for a plan and a timetable aimed at resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
"I call anew on the United States to come up with a plan and a timetable for its application that will contribute to put an end to Jewish settlements and Israeli offensives, and lead to serious negotiations," Fayyad said.
