The Council of Ministers Took a Series of Decisions.. Mustafa: We Are Ready to Assume Our Responsibilities in Gaza

SadaNews - The Prime Minister, Mohammad Mustafa, affirmed the government's readiness to assume all of its national responsibilities, whether in immediate relief or in recovery and reconstruction efforts in Gaza, or in continuing the comprehensive national reforms that have been implemented for some time, in light of the State of Palestine's welcoming of international efforts to stop the war and establish peace. He stressed the ongoing work to unify national institutions in both parts of the homeland and the applicable laws, translating all efforts into tangible reality and enhancing security and stability for Palestinians.

Mustafa explained at the beginning of the weekly government session today, Tuesday, that the historic New York Declaration in September and the increasing recognitions of the State of Palestine, along with international plans and efforts to end the war, are factors to be built upon, in order to prevent displacement and annexation and to confront attempts to undermine the Palestinian National Authority, as well as to solidify the path towards establishing the independent Palestinian state and achieving the aspirations of Palestinians for freedom and independence.

On another note, based on the belief in the importance of continuing to develop our national institutions, the Council of Ministers approved the launch of a functional review process for government departments to enhance reform and institutional development, with the aim of aligning national priorities on one hand and the tasks, organizational structures, and human resources of these institutions on the other hand.

The Prime Minister clarified that this step also represents "a practical translation of the State of Palestine's commitment to our people and our partners, through a comprehensive and gradual reform approach that aligns with good governance standards, the foundations of modern management, and technological development. It is part of a broader national path to realize the independent state, in accordance with international legitimacy decisions, the latest of which is the 'New York Declaration' to implement the two-state solution approved by the United Nations General Assembly in September.

Furthermore, the Council of Ministers called on various international bodies to take urgent action to stop the decisions to evacuate and displace residents of the Batn al-Hawa neighborhood – Silwan / south of Al-Aqsa Mosque, especially after all legal efforts to stop the evacuation decisions have been exhausted. Accordingly, the Council directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the embassies and missions of the State of Palestine to take diplomatic and political action to urge various countries of the world and international organizations to halt these illegal actions.

In another context, the Council discussed the first reading of the regulation for organizing and governing pilgrimage affairs in coordination with the Ministry of Awqaf, based on reviews by the Government Reform and Development Office and benefiting from last year's experience, which included a reduction in the number of official pilgrimage mission crews and a decrease in the number of managing pilgrimage companies, setting more standards for conducting the lottery, selecting representatives of the missions, and selecting transportation companies, as well as enhancing governance and oversight efforts.

The Council also discussed "additional recommendations" from the national team to combat the flooding of the market with low-standard and low-value products, especially in the clothing, textiles, shoes, leather, stone, paint, cleaning materials, food, and fodder sectors. It directed relevant authorities to study these recommendations and work on implementing them to help protect the national market, enhance reliance on national products, and protect citizens from low-standard and low-quality goods.

As part of the government's orientation towards digital transformation and financial inclusion, the Council approved the request submitted by the Capital Market Authority to grant an incentive discount for paying vehicle insurance premiums through electronic payment methods. It also approved the proposal from the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy to exempt local authorities and unions from the connection fees to the national data carrier, which contributes to encouraging these sectors to adopt digital transformation and speeds up the process of improving the quality of services provided to citizens and their digitization.

Under the government's initiative for education for development, the Council approved the establishment of a government technical college to enhance technical education in Qalqilya Governorate; due to the uniqueness of this governorate surrounded by settlements and the resulting unprecedented rise in unemployment rates, in order to meet labor market needs and encourage students to enroll in these specializations, as part of the government's plan to promote vocational and technical education and raise its contribution to reach 20% of the total education sector.

The Council also approved an agreement between the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics and the World Food Program to conduct a specialized field survey on assessing food security in the West Bank. It also approved the grant provided by the European Union to the Palestinian Judicial Institute, contributing to efforts to enhance and develop the judicial system.

Additionally, the Council discussed the first reading of a draft law concerning industrial cities and free industrial zones, as well as the second presentation of an amended regulation for non-profit organizations No. (20) for the year 2022.