October 2016 Hamas government

The Hamas government of 2016 is the Gaza-based faction of the Palestinian government and is a de facto third Hamas-dominated government, ruling over the Gaza Strip since the split of the Palestinian National Authority in 2007. Government Media Office in the Gaza Strip announced on 17 October 2016 that the Supreme Administrative Committee, which is in charge of the conduct of Gaza’s ministries, had taken a decision to carry out a Cabinet reshuffle in active ministries and change the positions of 16 deputy ministers and directors general in government institutions.^[1]

The Gazan government is made of Deputy Ministers, Director Generals and other high-level officials, not directly bound to the Ramallah administration. It was initially speculated that the 2016 Hamas government is an attempt to return of Ismail Haniyeh to full control of the Gaza enclave.^[1] As part of government reform, it was decided to abolish the Ministry of Planning.^[1]

According to some views, the third Hamas cabinet de facto succeeded the failed 2014 national unity government, which was reshuffled by Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas in July 2015 without Hamas consent and was announced by Hamas as expired on 19 October 2016. "Coalition for Accountability and Integrity - Aman" said that the formation of this committee was a declaration of a new government in the Gaza Strip.^[1] Youssef Mahmoud, the spokesman for the consensus Palestinian government, said that every action made in Gaza without the consensus government’s approval is illegitimate and not recognized by the Ramallah government.^[1] Ismail Haniyeh, the Prime Minister of the 2007 and 2012 Hamas-led governments, considers the 2015 Fatah-dominated government in Ramallah as illegitimate. The Hamas government of 2016 exercises de facto rule over the Gaza Strip, supported by the Palestinian Legislative Council, which is dominated by members of Hamas.

The United States, Canada, the European Union, Japan and Israel classify Hamas as a terrorist organization and do not recognize the government. Hamas government is not recognized by Ramallah administration of the State of Palestine.

Formation

The Hamas and Fatah formed the Palestinian Unity Government of June 2014 as part of the Hamas-Fatah reconciliation process, which however shortly came to deadlock over implementing policies. In 2015, Palestinian President Abbas reshuffled the Ramallah-based government, resulting in Palestinian government of 2015, angering Hamas. On 13 October 2016, Hamas called on the return of full-fledged Hamas governance under Islamil Haniyeh over the Gaza Strip.^[2] Shortly, on October 17th, Hamas-dominated Palestinian Legislative Council supported reshuffling Palestinian government representatives in the Gaza Strip without the consent of President Abbas, thus de facto creating a new government on Deputy Ministerial and Directorial level.

Members of the Gaza Strip 2016 cabinet

• Kept their positions from Palestinian Unity Government of June 2014.

Responses to formation

Mahmud Abbas - Abbas met with the political leader of Hamas Khaled Mashal in Qatar in late October and on November 30 it was published that Mahmud Abbas proposed Hamas to form a temporary unity government to bridge the issues between Hamas and Fatah.^[3]

See also

• Palestinian government

References

Hamas cabinet
Office of the Prime Minister Planning Public Works Interior Education Information Agriculture Local Government Finance Health Justice Religious Affairs Propagation of Virtue Committee Women Affairs State Affairs Sports Cabinets 2007 2012