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Hamdallah’s Complicated Job As Palestinian Prime Minister

An Najah University President Rami Hamdallah may find that he is a placeholder in an ultimately thankless job.
Rami Hamdallah, president of al-Najah National University, speaks during a meeting at the university in the West Bank city of Nablus February 14, 2010. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas named British-educated political independent Hamdallah as new prime minister on June 2, 2013, a move that was immediately condemned by Gaza Strip rulers Hamas. Picture taken February 14, 2010. REUTERS/Abed Omar Qusini    (WEST BANK - Tags: POLITICS EDUCATION) - RTX109VL

It is not clear what we can conclude from the appointment of Rami Hamdallah to head the Palestinian government following the resignation of Salam Fayyad.

On the one hand, Hamdallah is known during his long term as the president of Palestine’s largest university as an efficient, centralized bureaucrat who gets the job done. On the other hand, many suspect that he is an interim prime minister being brought in to fill the vacuum that exists between the departure of Fayyad and the expected elections that will occur once all the details of the reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas are resolved.

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