Biograhpy of PA Cabinet
1- Salam Fayyad as PM, Foreign Minister and Finance Minister
Salam Fayyad, 55, enjoys respect of the international community after he succeeded to introduce core reforms under difficult conditions on the financial system of the PA when he assumed the Finance Ministry fro the first time in June 2002 during the lifetime of late President Arafat.
He was born in Der al-Ghsoun Village in Tulkarem in 1952 and he got his elementary education in the schools of Nablus before he moved to live with his family in Jordan where he received his secondary education.
Fayyad got his BS from the American University in Beirut and Masters from Saint Andrews University in Austin, Texas, and his PhD in Economy from the University of Texas-Austin. He worked in the private sector in Jordan between 1975 and 1979 then he worked as a researcher and instructor at Yarmouk University and Austin University between 1983 and 1986.
Fayyad joined the World Bank in 1987 and he worked for 16 years there where he assumed several positions until he became the assistant to the executive director of the World Bank until 1991 then an adviser to the executive director of the Bank between 1992 and 1995 then he became a resident representative of the IMF in the Palestinian lands between 1996 until he resigned in 2001. He then was appointed regional manager of the Arab Bank branches in the Palestinian lands in 2002 for two months only and then he was appointed by President Arafat as Finance Minister in June 2002 and he remained in that post during the government formed by Abbas and then he remained finance minister in two consecutive governments headed by Ahmad Qurei' until he resigned at the end of 2005 when he ran for the PLC elections and he won a seat in the PLC representing the Third Way. he then assumed the Finance Ministry portfolio during the national unity government according to Mecca Agreement.
2- Abdul al-Razzaq al-Yahia - Minister of Interior and Civil Affairs
Major General Abdul Razzaq al-Yahia was born in Tantoura village near Haifa in 1929. He joined Palestine Officer training course in 1948 and then joined the Salvation Army in 1949 and after it was dissolved, he joined the Syrian Army and then joined the Palestinian Liberation Army in 1965. al-Yahia moved in the army ranks until he became the General Commander of the Palestinian Liberation Army. he worked as representative of the PLO Executive Committee in Jordan and then was elected as member of the Committee. he participated in the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations for the Interim Period and the start of the final status negotiations. He headed the Security Committee in the final status negotiations and he assumed the post of Interior Minister in the 4th government.
3- Ziad al-Bandak - Minister of Local Government
He was born in Amman in 1960; he holds a Masters Degree in Electricity from Germany. He held the post of Deputy Head of Palestine Students Union in Germany. He returned to the West Bank in 1986 and opened a factory manufacturing electronic plates. he worked as deputy mayor of Bethlehem between 1997 and 2005
4- Khouloud D'eibes - Minister of Tourism and Women's Affairs
Dr. Khouloud was born in Bethlehem city in 1965 and she holds a PhD in Architecture from Hanover University in Germany. she held the post of Minister of Tourism in the national unity government. in the past, she held the post of general director of the center preserving cultural heritage in Bethlehem and she is an activist in several international organizations in the field of tourism and cultural heritage. she worked as lecturer teaching in the Tourism Masters Program at Bethlehem University and she worked in Palestinian organizations dealing with cultural heritage in the past 15 years.
5- Kamal Hassouneh - Minister of Economy, Public Works and Telecommunications
He is a businessman who was born in Hebron in 1942. he holds a degree in Law from Cairo University. he established with investors several companies, including al-Sharq Electrode Factory and "Petropal" and he currently holds the post of general manager and head of the board of directors of Petropal. He held several posits in voluntary organizations and private sector organizations, including Head of the Engineering and Mineral Industries Union in Palestine, and Head of Palestinian Economic Development Group for six years, and Head of Cooperative Housing Association in Hebron for six years. he is deputy head of the Palestinian Businessmen Association and Head of the Joint Palestinian-Turkish Economic Council, and Palestine Representative in the Arab Society to Protect intellectual Property Rights, and member of Trustees Board and Treasurer of MAS Center for the last nine years. Head of the Board of Directors of the Palestinian Investment Fund. He is also member of the Council for Administering the General Union of the Palestine Industries, and member of Board of Trustees of Cultural Intellectual Forum and member of the board of trustees of Bethlehem University
6- Lamees al-Alami - Minister of Education and Higher Education
She was born in the city of Jerusalem in 1943. she concluded her basic and secondary education at Schmidt School in 1959; she then joined Beirut University and got her BA in English in 1964 and she got her Masters Degree in English Literature in 1967 and a Masters in Linguistics from the British University of Edinburgh in 1974. during her university education, she was active in students activities such as sports, social services, and cultural activities and drama and she was awarded the certificate of distinguished leadership and services. she started working as a teacher of English Language at UNRWA Women Training College in Ramallah until 1975 and then she was appointed as deputy director of the College in 1983 then she became manager of the College in 1994 where she worked on developing the college in a manner to meet with modern requirements. In 1994, Lamees became in charge of education for all schools and colleges of the UNRWA (100 schools and three colleges) until she retired in 2004. al-Alami holds currently the post of the General Director of the Palestinian Independent Commission for Citizens Rights and she is a member in boards of several organizations, such as the Arab Studies Society, Women Center for Legal and Social Counseling, the Central Elections Commission, Faisal Husseini Institute, and al-Quds Open University.
7- Samir Abdallah - Minister of Planning and Labor
He was born in the village of Abu Qash north of Ramallah in 1950. he got his BA in Economy from the Jordanian University in 1976 and then his PhD in Economy from Prague University in Czech in 1984. he worked as an associate professor at the Economy College at al-Najah University in Nablus between 1984 and 1991. he was chosen as one of the experts in the Palestinian delegation to the Madrid Peace Conference and negotiations in 1991 under the leadership of Haidar Abdul Shafi and was member in the Palestinian team to the Multilateral Talks. In 1992, he was appointed head of the committee formed by the PLO to work with the World Bank to determine the developmental needs in the Palestinian lands. After the establishment of the PNA in 1994, he was appointed Undersecretary in the Economy, Industry and Trade Ministry during the period of PM Ahmad Qurei' in the first government formed by late president Arafat and he worked during that period with other economic figures on establishing PECDAR.
He moved to the private sector in 1996 and was appointed general manager of the Palestinian Arab Bank for Investment which was established by the Arab Bank with the International Financing Commission, the investment wing of the World Bank. Later he became General Director of Paltrade, which is one of the institutions representing the Palestinian private sector and he is active in the field of promoting Palestinian products. he formed in 2003 a specialized office in economic consultancy and was appointed as general director of MAS which is an independent research center dealing with economic, social and development studies.
8- Fathi Abu Maghli - Minister of Health
Dr. Fathi was born in Nablus in 1950 and he concluded his secondary studies at Hussein College in the Jordanian capital and he attended the medicine college at Athens National University where he graduated and then he specialized in internal medicine and exercised the profession in several hospitals and in the private sector. he was appointed in 1998 as director of international projects and coordination of financing international projects in the Health Ministry and in 1999 he was appointed as director of the project to develop the Palestinian health system funded by the World Bank and he supervised the setting up of the national health emergency plan in 2000. in 2004, he was appointed as director of health programs in WHO - Palestine Office.
he is author of a book on Science of Diseases that is taught in the Jordanian universities and medical institutes and he issued with his colleagues in 1994 "Health and Life" Magazine.
He worked as deputy to the head of the Higher Studies in the Palestinian Medical Council and was elected as head of the Society to Arabize the Medical Sciences in the Physicians Syndicate for several years. he is member in many specialized committees, such as the national committee for national vaccination program, and the national for chronic diseases and the national committee to fight Avian Flu, and the International Organizations Committee to fight AIDS.
9- Riyad al-Malki - Minister of Information
He was born in 1955 and he holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from the American universities. he worked at the engineering department at Birzeit University in 1978 and he became head of the civil engineering department in the university. He is founder of Panorama Center since 1991. he got awarded the European Peace Prize in 2000 in Copenhagen and the Italian Peace Prize in 2005. he is the coordinator of the Arab Program to Support and Develop Democracy which is an alliance of more than 12 civil society institutions. visiting professor in several European universities.
10- Sheikh Jamal Bawatneh - Minister of Waqf
awatneh celebrated his fiftieth birthday on the day he was sworn in. he was born in Ramallah in 1957 and married with seven children. he holds a Masters Degree in Modern Islamic Studies and his masters thesis was under the title "Faith Education and the Security of the Society"; his thesis was translated into English and French. he worked as Assistant Undersecretary of al-Fatwa Department and later he became Head of the Higher Fatwa Council.
11- Mashhour Abu Daqqa - Minister of Transport
He was born in Jabalia in 1961, he is married and has three sons. Abu Daqqa studies in London and holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and worked for several years in scientific research institutes in Britain and its universities. he also worked in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Birzeit University. he worked as general director of scientific research at the Education and Higher Education Ministry; he also worked as general director of Information Systems Union "BETA" and adviser to several foreign institutions, including the UNDP, before he worked as adviser at the Telecommunications and Information Technology Ministry.
12- Ashraf al-Ajrami - Minister of Prisoners Affairs
He was born in Jabalia Camp in 1961 and holds a BA in English. he is an author and researcher and his book entitled "The religious media rhetoric and human rights" was published recently. he worked at the Information Ministry since the establishment of the PA in 1994 as director of the Israeli affairs and later he became deputy director of the external media. he is married and has three children. he spent in the occupation prisons a period between 1984 until 1996.
13- Mahmoud Habbash - Minister of Agriculture and Social Affairs
He was born in 1963 from Nuseirat Camp in Gaza Strip and he works as professor at al Quds Open University, he holds a master degree in Islamic studies and he is preparing to get his PHD.
Habbash was a cadre in Hamas until 1994 when he left the movement and started work in politics as an independent.
He was arrested in the first Intifada on charges of incitement against the occupation.
14- Dr. Ali Khashaan - Minister of Justice
He was born in Jerusalem in 1956. He hold PhD in Constitutional Law from the French Universities; he participated in preparing many Palestinian laws, including the Press Law and Social Affairs Law, in addition to his activities in the field of human rights. He is one of the founders of the first Law College at al-Quds University and was appointed Dean of the Law Collage since 1992 until 2002. he is member of board of trustees in several Palestinian academic institutions, such as Hebron University. He was appointed in 2002 as Secretary of Committee to prepare the Palestinian Constitution and he is still holding this post. He worked as Head of the Belgian-Palestinian Friends Society between 1987 and 1991. He is representative of the Arab Center for Law Development and Integrity in Palestine. he is married and has four children.
15- Dr. Ibrahim Abrash - Minister of Culture
He was born in the city of Gaza in 1952. He carries PhD and holds the professor title in Political Science from Mohammed V University in Rabat; he currently holds the position of Dean of Arts College at Azhar University. he has several studies and publications which tackled the conditions of the Palestinian society and the political system. his fifteen publications were published in Beirut, Morocco and Jordan and in Palestine. he conducted several research works. He lives in Gaza city and he arrived in Ramallah two days ago. he is married and has four daughters.
16- Tahani Abu Daqqa - Minister of Youth and Sports
She was born in city of Abasan al-Kabeera in Gaza in 1960. She is a resident of Khan Yunis and arrived in Ramallah two days ago and affirmed that she will continue to move between the West Bank and Gaza Strip to affirm the unity of the homeland. she worked as technical consultant with international and local institutions in the field of community activities and works as head of Cultural Development Association. She is pursuing her higher studies in the field of administration and seeks to get her Masters degree soon. she is married and has five children.
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