Reform Is a Palestinian Interest Before It Becomes an International Demand

Since the establishment of the Palestinian National Authority in 1994, it has consistently faced attempts—often futile—to downplay its achievements at all levels. These efforts have intensified as the Authority’s performance has improved and it has come closer to achieving its ultimate goal: the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. Many refuses to acknowledge the significant progress made in all sectors of Palestinian life, despite the ongoing occupation and the challenges it presents.

With the formation of Dr. Mohammad Mustafa’s government, a crucial and pivotal stage in the reform and development process began—later known as the “National Program for Development and Reform”. This marked the beginning of a serious and sustained effort in the field of reform, building on the initiatives of previous governments, some of which were successful, while others remained within the framework of continuous development and reform.

Our people have been going through a dangerous and challenging period for over two years, one that threatens their very existence, the resilience of their people, and the accomplishments made within the framework of their national project. It has become imperative that we act swiftly to implement an ambitious reform plan that first and foremost meets the needs and interests of our people, while also aligning with international demands that are seen as essential steps toward achieving statehood. While we agree with some of these international expectations, we also disagree with others.

President Mahmoud Abbas has clearly expressed the Palestinian leadership’s commitment to a comprehensive roadmap aimed at ending the occupation and realizing the independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. This vision includes a comprehensive reform of the political system and institutions, and it is already showing rapid progress in political and institutional reform, as well as the revitalization of the democratic process—especially at this pivotal stage in our history.

At this point, it is important to reflect on the personality chosen by President Abbas to lead this crucial mission in the history of the Palestinian people. Dr. Mohammad Mustafa, an independent and a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, has served as head of its Economic Department. He comes from a technocratic background and has held numerous positions before being entrusted with leading the government at this sensitive time.

I have known him closely during my years of work with the government and the presidency. He is a pragmatist of the highest order, having worked at the World Bank for over 15 years, served as an economic advisor to the government of Kuwait, and as a consultant to the Saudi National Investment Fund. He was also a visiting professor at George Washington University before joining the public sector. He has accompanied the President on numerous international visits, particularly those with economic focus, and previously led the Palestinian Investment Fund before assuming the role of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy in three successive governments.

While heading the Palestinian Investment Fund, he worked to relocate Palestinian investments internally, thereby strengthening the alignment between the private and public sectors in job creation and boosting the domestic economy through various projects. One particularly impressive initiative was the construction and connection of solar energy networks on the rooftops of public schools, providing free energy to schools and selling the surplus to the electricity company.

As Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy, he supported small and medium-sized enterprises, laying the foundation for a stronger economy by enabling various population groups to become key players in national economic development. Despite Israeli policies, these initiatives have yielded tangible results, benefiting a wide segment of the Palestinian population.

Therefore, I believe that his background and experience qualify him to be a central figure in the President’s and the Palestinian people’s vision, capable of leading a team of experts to implement this reform plan in this critical phase of our struggle.

Returning to the reform plan itself, it is clear that “reform is a Palestinian interest before it becomes an international demand”. This plan is built on the political realism of President Abbas and his government, offering a practical approach to decision-making and problem-solving, with a focus on achieving concrete results and meeting the needs of our people in light of changing realities. It does not adhere to abstract ideals or impotent ideologies, but instead focuses on practical and flexible solutions to achieve the defined objectives.

The reform program, or the “National Program for Development and Reform”, is a joint initiative between the President and his government, reflecting a unified vision, goal, and implementation strategy. It is based on four key pillars: fiscal policy and public financial management, governance and the rule of law, investment and business environment, and improvement in the delivery of basic services. It currently includes approximately 60 reform measures, more than half of which have been completed, with the remaining ones currently under implementation.

In the area of fiscal policy and public financial management, the government has adopted important fiscal and austerity measures in various areas to avoid the risk of a complete financial collapse, especially in light of the difficult political conditions and the impact of Israel’s withholding of clearance revenues. These measures include strengthening public spending policy, enhancing the government’s ability to increase revenues from local sources through improved tax administration, ensuring fiscal sustainability through the modernization of the pension system, and setting a realistic budget deficit target.

Under the framework of governance and the rule of law, which is a crucial element of state-building, the presidential component included the creation of the positions of Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and Vice President of the State of Palestine to avoid any political vacuum. The government has worked to strengthen cooperation between the executive and judicial branches, ensuring justice and protecting the rights and dignity of the Palestinian citizen, while also enhancing efficiency and transparency through the unification and improvement of public institution governance. In addition, the National Strategy to Combat Corruption (2025–2030) has been adopted, and the government has worked to strengthen dialogue and consultation with civil society on key legal and political issues, issuing laws that keep pace with technological developments and international standards.
In the same context, several non-ministerial government institutions have been dissolved or merged to enhance efficiency.

The plan also strengthens the legal and legislative environment, particularly in preparation for the presidential and legislative general elections to be held within a year of the end of the war on Gaza, according to field conditions. This includes issuing laws related to the election of local authority councils, lowering the candidacy age to 23 to increase youth participation, and implementing mechanisms to enhance women’s representation and ensure the transparency and integrity of the electoral process in accordance with democratic principles. A new law on political parties has also been introduced to regulate political life and pave the way for general elections under the umbrella of the Palestine Liberation Organization, in line with its international commitments.

In parallel, a draft constitution for the State of Palestine is being prepared, building on previous drafts from 2003 to 2016. This draft will be developed in collaboration with the French Republic, benefiting from France’s experience in this area.

Meanwhile, the Central Elections Committee is working with the Preparatory Committee for the National Council elections, on the preparatory stages of the upcoming elections. The two committees have developed a preliminary vision for the operational stages of the National Council elections, including the technical and logistical preparations required to ensure the success of the electoral process, as well as the overall framework for the electoral process.

In the area of investment and the business environment, efforts have been made to stimulate investment in infrastructure to support sustainable economic growth, by strengthening the sectors of transport, roads, energy, and water. Improvements in the business environment have been made to attract more investment, and plans for digital transformation in the delivery of services and payments have been implemented. The legal and regulatory environment has also been developed, and the role of specialized courts in resolving commercial disputes has been strengthened. The e-commerce law has been completed, along with many other laws and procedures aimed at strengthening the legal and regulatory framework. In terms of access to financing, the National Risk Assessment (NRA) for money laundering (ML) and terrorism financing (TF) has been completed, with the aim of protecting the Palestinian national economy.

Regarding the delivery of basic services, the main areas of reform cover nearly all sectors: water, energy, health, telecommunications, education, and social protection. These reforms generally aim to improve the quality of services, digitize them, and localize essential services related to health, strengthen digital transformation in all its forms, adopt uniform standards in the field of social protection, and add over 26 new educational materials to the e-learning platform.

Therefore, it can be said that the Palestinian leadership, at all levels, is drawing inspiration from the success stories of sister and friendly countries in developing and enhancing performance, striving to achieve the highest levels of development required for the political and administrative, organizational, and legislative system. We believe that we are now surpassing many independent countries, despite still being under the oppressive Israeli occupation, a situation confirmed by international institutions that have issued reports on the ability and readiness of the Palestinian Authority’s institutions to reach the level of those of an independent state.

Finally, through my continuous follow-up of the Palestinian political situation and the significant steps President Abbas has taken at the international level to align the reform process with international demands while maintaining a purely Palestinian vision that prioritizes Palestinian interests, I have grown in confidence and belief that our independence is imminent. The future Palestinian state will be a modern, developed, and capable state, worthy of being a model for other advanced nations.