- Born:
- 1952, Dayr al-Ghuṣūn, West Bank (age 74)
Salam Fayyad
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Who is Salam Fayyad?
Salam Fayyad, born in 1952, is a Palestinian economist known for his role as a technocratic prime minister of the Palestinian Authority (PA) from 2007 to 2013. He also served as finance minister from 2002–2005 and 2007–2012, where he shored up the PA's financial management.
Fayyad's state-building program focused on developing government institutions and creating economic growth in the West Bank. Although this approach was popular with Western governments, it did not gain widespread support among Palestinian factions. In 2013, Fayyad resigned amid a financial crisis.
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What is the Palestinian Authority?
The Palestinian Authority (PA) is the governing body of the Palestinian autonomous regions in the West Bank. Established in 1994 as part of the Oslo Accords peace agreement between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the PA also has de jure governing authority over the entirety of the Gaza Strip, though Hamas has controlled the region since 2007. The PA was initially democratic but is now ruled by decree by Pres. Mahmoud Abbas, who has indefinitely delayed elections.
Salam Fayyad, born in 1952, is a Palestinian economist known for his service as prime minister of the PA (2007–2009, 2009–2013) and his state-building program. He also played a role in bolstering the PA's financial management during his time as finance minister. During his tenure as prime minister, Fayyad focused on developing government institutions and creating economic growth in the West Bank.
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When did Salam Fayyad serve as prime minister of the Palestinian Authority?
Salam Fayyad, a Palestinian economist, served as prime minister of the Palestinian Authority (PA) during two terms: from 2007 to 2009, and again from 2009 to 2013. He is known for his state-building program as prime minister and his role as finance minister from 2002 to 2005 and 2007 to 2012, where he improved the PA's financial management. Fayyad resigned in March 2009 to facilitate a Fatah and Hamas unity government, but he was reappointed in May when negotiations failed. He resigned in 2013 amidst a financial crisis.
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What was Salam Fayyad's professional background before becoming prime minister?
Before becoming prime minister of the Palestinian Authority (PA), Salam Fayyad had an extensive professional background in economics and finance.
Fayyad worked in banking in Jordan from 1975 to 1979. From 1987 through 1995, he was an economist at the World Bank in Washington, D.C. Later, he served as an International Monetary Fund representative to Palestine. In 2001, he became regional manager of the Arab Bank in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. In 2002, Yasser Arafat appointed Fayyad finance minister of the PA, where he combatted corruption and brought financial reforms.
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What were some important things Salam Fayyad did while he was prime minister?
As prime minister of the Palestinian Authority (PA) from 2007–2009 and 2009–2013, Salam Fayyad, a Palestinian economist, was known for his state-building program. Also, as finance minister (2002–05; 2007–12), he was known for shoring up the PA's financial management. In August 2009, Fayyad put forth a plan for Palestinian statehood on behalf of the PA, the first of its kind to be issued by that governing body.
During his time as prime minister, Fayyad focused on developing government institutions and creating economic growth in the West Bank. This approach made him popular with Western governments, but it failed to attract wide support among Palestinian factions. Amid a financial crisis, Fayyad resigned in 2013.
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How did Salam Fayyad's leadership impact Palestinian politics and society?
Salam Fayyad, a Palestinian economist, served as prime minister of the Palestinian Authority (PA) from 2007 to 2009 and again from 2009 to 2013. He is known for his state-building program and for reinforcing the PA's financial management as finance minister (2002–05; 2007–12).
During his time as prime minister, Fayyad avoided conflict with Israel and instead focused on creating economic growth and developing government institutions in the West Bank. In August 2009, he presented a plan for Palestinian statehood on behalf of the PA. Although his approach was popular with Western governments, it did not gain widespread support among Palestinian factions, and he resigned in 2013 during a financial crisis.
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Salam Fayyad (born 1952, Dayr al-Ghuṣūn, West Bank) is a Palestinian economist who served as a technocratic prime minister (2007–09, 2009–13) of the Palestinian Authority (PA). He is known for his state-building program as prime minister as well as his role in shoring up the financial management of the PA during his time as finance minister (2002–05; 2007–12).
Fayyad was born in a village near Tulkarm and, after receiving his elementary education in Nablus, moved with his family to Jordan, where he obtained his secondary education. In 1975 Fayyad graduated from the American University of Beirut and later attended St. Edward’s University and the University of Texas, both in Austin, from which he received an M.A. and a Ph.D. degree, respectively. Fayyad worked in banking in Jordan from 1975 to 1979, and from 1983 to 1986 he was a university researcher at the University of Texas and at Yarmouk University in Jordan. In 1987 Fayyad began work as an economist at the World Bank in Washington, D.C.; he remained with the World Bank through 1995. He then served as an International Monetary Fund representative to Palestine, a position that based him in Jerusalem. In 2001 he was appointed regional manager of the Arab Bank in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
In 2002 Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat named Fayyad finance minister of the PA. In this position he worked to eradicate corruption and enact financial reforms. Fayyad submitted his resignation as finance minister in November 2005 to found the Third Way Bloc with Palestinian educator Hanan Ashrawi. In the parliamentary election of January 2006, the party succeeded in winning two seats. The 2006 elections also saw the Islamic militant group Hamas emerge with a majority, and the tenuous coalition government that Hamas and Fatah were able to secure proved to be short-lived. During the brief period of unity government, Fayyad again served as finance minister, but, with violence between the two groups escalating, PA Pres. Mahmoud Abbas declared a state of emergency and dismissed the government—including the Hamas-affiliated premier Ismail Haniyeh—and appointed an emergency government, with Fayyad as prime minister. Fayyad resigned that post in March 2009 in order to facilitate the creation of a new unity government between Fatah and Hamas, but, when negotiations proved inconclusive, Fayyad was reappointed as prime minister in May. In August 2009 he put forth a plan for Palestinian statehood on behalf of the PA, the first of its kind to be issued by that governing body.
During his tenure as prime minister, Fayyad eschewed confrontation with Israel, pursuing a state-building agenda focused on developing government institutions and creating economic growth in the West Bank. Although this approach made Fayyad popular with Western governments, it failed to attract wide support among Palestinian factions. Fayyad resigned in 2013 amid a financial crisis.