The Most Important Development and Reform Interventions Implemented by the Palestinian Government Last Week

SadaNews - The Government Communication Center issued a report highlighting the most important development and reform interventions implemented by the Palestinian government during the past week (01/18/2026 – 01/24/2026), as follows:

⭕ Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Mustafa participated in the opening of the Davos Economic Forum and held meetings on the sidelines with several international leaders and officials, including the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, the President of the UN General Assembly, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Belgium, the Egyptian Foreign Minister, the President of the Swiss Confederation and his Foreign Minister, the Director of the UN Development Programme, and Foreign Ministers from Luxembourg, Ireland, and Spain. During these meetings, Mustafa discussed developments in Palestine, particularly the aggression on Gaza, ways to achieve a ceasefire and protect civilians, ensure the flow of humanitarian aid, support the two-state solution, and enhance financial stability, as well as reconstruction and early recovery efforts, and the coordination of international efforts to protect institutions and hold the occupation accountable.

⭕ The Ministry of Social Development and its partners implemented a series of integrated interventions, including the provision of food and non-food parcels and shopping vouchers to 1,613 families at a total value of 429,430 shekels, the provision of 915 new and renewed health insurance services, 95 interventions for persons with disabilities, 38 for the elderly, 92 for women, 57 for childhood, 78 for youth, 75 for kindergartens, 147 for economic empowerment, 15 psychological support interventions, and assistance for 208 orphans. Additionally, the relief interventions in the Gaza Strip benefited over 80,000 individuals, including the distribution of baby milk for 500 infants, hot and cold meals for over 71,800 beneficiaries, 149,000 loaves of bread and 7,000 bundles of bread, 1,520 cups of water, tents, 4,000 blankets, 1,750 winter outfits and carpets, 25 dignity bags, 50 medical check-ups for children, 22 wheelchairs, and 61 health and food parcels for persons with disabilities, as well as clothing for 100 orphans, and protection and psychological support services for more than 3,000 women, which included 516 telephone consultations, protection for 799 cases of violence, and 46 cases of child protection. In the West Bank, the ministry implemented 43 economic empowerment projects to support affected women in Tulkarem, training workshops for beneficiaries of the benevolent loan program, and inspection tours of care institutions in Nablus to improve the quality of social services, along with the preparation of an educational sign language dictionary to develop the use of sign language in educational materials.

⭕ The Ministry of Education and Higher Education announced the program for the General Secondary Examination (Third Session) for the years 2024 and 2025 for students in the Gaza Strip, held a workshop to discuss the results of the 2025 National Assessment study and bridge the learning gap, inaugurated the Kafr Qaddum Girls' Basic School in Qalqilya, held the second conference on electronic twinning in cooperation with Erasmus, and opened an exhibition of educational tools for persons with disabilities in partnership with Al-Quds University.

⭕ The Ministry of Local Government delivered a water tanker with a capacity of 10 cubic meters to the village council of Al-Malih and the Bedouin camps valued at 168,000 euros with support from the French Development Agency (AFD), completed a project for the Wadi Al-Shamsana road in Jius with a length of 750 meters valued at 735,000 shekels, and a project for a public park in Habla, Qalqilya, valued at 52,000 shekels, in addition to completing a multi-purpose hall in Msahwa, Salfit, with an area of 370 square meters valued at 264,000 shekels. Financial settlements were completed for 144 local authorities and joint service councils from various governorates, and 5.2 million euros were allocated for emergency response to infrastructure damage in northern the West Bank under the fourth phase of the Municipal Development Programme, funded by the French and German governments and implemented by the Local Authorities Development and Lending Fund. The "Youth for Palestine" program concluded its first phase with the participation of over 1,000 volunteers from 108 local authorities in the northern governorates, in addition to the reopening of the Local Authorities Development and Lending Fund headquarters in Gaza City, and an inspection of the Khallat Al-Sadr Bedouin gathering near Mikhmas / Jerusalem following settler attacks, with directives issued to secure urgent needs and strengthen the resilience of the residents.

⭕ Under the supervision and participation of the Ministry of Agriculture and the High Agricultural Emergency Committee, a package of activities was implemented, including the rehabilitation of greenhouses for 80 farmers in the Gaza Strip in partnership with the Beit Lahiya Development Association and ANERA, distribution of 24 irrigation networks in towns northwest of Jerusalem as part of a water harvesting project funded by the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, and the commencement of operation of a Hydroponic System at the NARC Research Center under the "MAP II" program implemented by FAO, funded by the governments of Denmark, Switzerland, Spain, and the European Union. Agricultural Relief delivered 53 tons of potato seeds to 90 farmers in Qabatiya, Zababda, and Masliah – south of Jenin, and conducted advisory workshops in partnership with JICA for 17 farmers in Qalqilya, almond farmers in Al-Shuyukh - Hebron, 22 farmers in Yatta and Al-Samu, and 10 farmers in Wadi Qana – Salfit as part of the "EVAP 3" project. The "Beit Fajjar Green" initiative was launched in cooperation with the Bethlehem Governorate and Beit Fajjar Municipality, and the Minister of Agriculture discussed support for the agricultural sector with the EU representative. Also, 17 tons of spoiled dates and 984 kg of adulterated honey were seized in Jenin in cooperation with customs enforcement and relevant authorities, shade nets were delivered to 25 grape farmers in Halhul with the support of the World Food Programme (WFP), and 94 tons of feed were distributed to 52 farmers in Khan al-Ahmar gatherings funded by international CARE. Activities included an advisory meeting for olive farmers in Husan under FAO's project to support sustainable tourism, the distribution of 1,200 olive seedlings in Bani Naim in cooperation with the YMCA, discussions on exporting lemons from Qalqilya to Jordan, and the implementation of advisory activities for 7 field schools in Jerusalem funded by the Al-Quds Fund.

⭕ The Ministry of Public Works and Housing continues to implement 30 projects for main and connecting roads across various governorates, including rehabilitation, repairs, and emergency projects, funded by the public treasury and the Islamic Development Bank, along with ongoing efforts to address damage caused by the attacks of the occupation forces and settlers on the Zawata – bypass – Ajensinya road in Nablus Governorate. In this context, the Minister of Public Works and Housing discussed with a European Union delegation, the Japanese ambassador, and the Swedish consul the mechanisms for joint cooperation in efforts to reconstruct the Gaza Strip and the northern governorates, particularly in the areas of temporary housing, debris removal, damage assessment, and road rehabilitation.
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities held a remote meeting with representatives of the tourism sector in Gaza to assess the damages and establish a permanent team. It also inspected restoration projects in the village of Al-Jabaa and held meetings with Hebron Municipality to develop tourism and the old town, where the city witnessed the arrival of 64 tour buses in one day. The Minister also participated in welcoming the Armenian Archbishop in Bethlehem, and the Tourism Initiatives Committee in Nablus held its meeting, in addition to inspecting archaeological sites in Tubas, Nablus, and Qusin to assess damage resulting from weather conditions.

⭕ The Ministry of Interior conducted ministerial meetings to follow up on the situation at the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge and enhance the freedom of movement and dignity of citizens in coordination with Jordan, met with representatives of pilgrimage and Umrah companies to organize procedures and integrate roles, along with inspection tours at the crossings and meetings with drivers and security apparatus directors, discussing security conditions in Jericho and the Jordan Valley. On the ground, the police apprehended 607 wanted individuals, executed 4,025 judicial memos, followed up on 215 incidents, and carried out 79 drug control missions, while civil defense carried out 64 firefighting missions and 202 rescue operations, issued 485 permits, and conducted 1,331 safety inspections, and the customs authority followed up on 63 smuggling cases and confiscated about 7 tons of unsellable goods.

⭕ General Civil Affairs Authority crews continue to implement humanitarian interventions around the clock in the governorates of the West Bank, including supporting infrastructure and basic services and empowering citizens and institutions in areas close to the separation barrier, by ensuring repairs to electricity, water, and telecommunications, facilitating farmers' access, addressing humanitarian and medical cases, rehabilitating damaged roads, opening closed roads, and organizing movement in areas affected by occupation measures. The Authority has also completed arrangements to facilitate the work of the Central Elections Commission to enable its staff to operate.

⭕ The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates met with Palestinian ambassadors in Asia and the Pacific to brief them on the latest developments and urged them to strengthen international support for the second phase of the ceasefire in Gaza. She also made a media statement calling on Israel to adhere to the agreement and ensure its implementation. Additionally, she received the credentials of the new World Food Programme Director and discussed with the British consul ways to develop relations and support the governance of the Gaza Strip, and met with the Apostolic Nuncio to enhance Palestinian-Vatican relations, while the Ministry's Undersecretary for Political Affairs discussed with the German Foreign Office the developments on the ground and the necessity to allow aid without obstacles and the completion of the ceasefire.

⭕ The Ministry of National Economy opened a Ramadan food products exhibition in Bethlehem with discounts of 10%-15% in support of citizens and local products, and referred a gas distributor to the Public Prosecution in Salfit for violating the official price. It also registered 1,975 new traders in 2025, raising the cumulative number to 16,616 traders over five years, and processed 930 complaints, most of them related to e-commerce. The ministry conducted 76 inspection tours during which it confiscated 5.3 tons of spoiled goods and disposed of about 34 tons, referred violators, and took legal actions. The ministry provided hundreds of services, including registering companies and trademarks, issuing import licenses, certificates of origin, and operating cards, and facilitated commercial transactions with Turkey.

⭕ The Environmental Quality Authority issued 30 permits for the import of chemicals and granted two environmental approvals for industrial projects, executed 44 inspection tours on industrial facilities, followed up on 4 environmental complaints, and organized awareness activities. It also released its annual report for 2025, highlighting the most important environmental achievements and challenges, and worked on updating the national plan to protect the Mediterranean Sea for 2026-2035, and identifying pollution hotspots in the West Bank and Gaza, in line with Palestine's commitments under the Barcelona Agreement.

⭕ The Ministry of Culture organized a creative workshop in Aqaba to promote inclusion and human-centered design with the participation of children, mothers, and persons with disabilities. In Salfit, it implemented training and awareness activities that included henna art, basics of Palestinian embroidery (the stitch), and awareness about the risks of drugs, in addition to a cultural activity on Palestinian popular cuisine in Kifl Harris. It also organized the first national conference on Palestinian literature in Hebron and a literary discussion about the novel "Dissonance in the City’s Sky," and held a supportive psychological activity for teachers titled "From Heart to Heart" in Qalqilya, and opened the winter camp "Future Leaders" that includes national, sports, educational, and recreational activities.

⭕ The Minister of Labor chaired the third meeting of the Labor Policies Committee with the participation of the three production parties and the International Labor Organization to follow up on developing labor policies and reviewing legislations. The ministry issued 1,851 unemployment certificates for free health insurance, benefited 4,098 from various employment services, conducted a sewing course in Jenin for 16 trainees (14 females, 2 males), and distributed 269 students from Nablus and Salfit centers to field training. It held awareness and health workshops in Beit Jala (150 female students), Halhul (101 participants), and Tulkarem (42 students), and completed male and female hairdressing courses (15 and 8, respectively) in partnership with the Jerusalem Hairdressers Union. In cooperative work, administrative auditing was conducted for 4 associations, financial auditing for 6 associations, approval of 12 general assembly meetings and 8 management committees, auditing of 2 internal systems, providing 8 administrative consultations and 6 legal, issuing 2 registration certificates, evaluating 32 associations, and addressing 2 complaints. As for external labor organization, it included updating data on stranded women in Gaza, following up on retirees inside the Green Line, and completing inspection tours to check safety standards in the work environment.
 
⭕ The Minister of Health enhanced coordination with the International Committee of the Red Cross to support the continuity of health services and protect staff and facilities and facilitate the access of patients and medicines, especially in Gaza. She also honored a representative of the World Health Organization in appreciation of the organization’s role in supporting the health system and emergency response. The minister followed the reality of health services in Jenin Government Hospital and discussed challenges and urgent needs to ensure the continuity and quality of services. She discussed with the Aman Coalition efforts related to governance and administrative reform, implementing quality standards and localizing medical services.

⭕ The Ministry of Women’s Affairs held a dialog meeting with national leaders to discuss the reality of Palestinian women, and the minister participated in welcoming Archbishop Haddad, confirming partnership with religious institutions. She also participated in the conference of the Palestinian NGOs Network, met with the UN political advisor to present the ministry’s achievements and relief and recovery plans, and emphasize the role of international organizations in supporting women. She discussed with the European Police representative enhancing the protection of women and reviewed plans for 2026, agreeing to develop monitoring and protection tools and increase women’s participation in the security sector.

⭕ The Ministry of Transport and Transportation conducted a series of coordinating meetings with official, academic, and local entities, and field tours to follow up on the traffic plan and the situation at the Allenby/King Hussein crossing. Planning work and engineering studies included the study and approval of road and town plans and the demarcation of public transport routes. Thousands of driver and vehicle licensing transactions of various types were completed, vehicle engineering was monitored, inspection centers organized, and staff accredited and regulatory instructions issued. In the context, the Palestinian meteorological service continued to prepare and publish daily weather bulletins about the weather conditions.

⭕ The Electricity and Natural Resources Authority, in partnership with the World Bank and ESMAP, conducted a specialized training course on purchasing solar energy projects from independent producers under public-private partnership models, which extended over three weeks with the participation of international experts, within the framework of the transformation and development program for the energy sector. In the same context, the head of the Energy Authority, Engineer Ayman Ismail, discussed with a World Bank delegation the developments of the liquidity support project and payment system for the electricity sector and the progress of joint projects, emphasizing the importance of coordination to enhance stability and sustainability in the sector and support renewable energy projects.