The Palestinian Authority Government of May 2009 was an emergency cabinet of the Palestinian National Authority in Ramallah from 19 May 2009 to June 2013, headed by Salam Fayyad. Fayyad has been Prime Minister since 2007, when he led the Government of June 2007. The May 2009 Government included a 20-minister cabinet.
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De facto, it only governed the West Bank, excluding East Jerusalem, whereas Gaza was governed by Hamas.
In 2013, Fayyad was succeeded by Rami Hamdallah, who became PM of the Palestinian Authority Governments of 2013.
Powers and jurisdiction
Pursuant to the Oslo Accords, the authority of the PA Government was limited to some civil rights of the Palestinians in the West Bank Areas A and B and in the Gaza Strip, and to internal security in Area A and in Gaza.
As Hamas had taken control over Gaza following the 2007 Battle of Gaza and had formed its own government, and Israel had illegally annexed Jerusalem, the new PA Government governed de facto only the West Bank, excluding East Jerusalem.
Formation
Most of the ministers were members of Fatah, although the Cabinet also included independents and members of third parties.
The Government was appointed by presidential decree and lacked the approval of the Palestinian Legislative Council as required pursuant the Palestinian Basic Law. The opposition of the Hamas majority alone was enough to withhold the new government its legal basis, but even Fatah's parliamentary bloc did not endorse the government. Two PLC members refused to join the government when the Fatah bloc decided not to back the new Fayyad cabinet. For the international community, this was not a reason to question the legality of the Government.
Members of the Government
May 2009 to June 2013