In a move that underscores mounting pressure for reform within the Palestinian Authority (PA), Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh and his government have tendered their resignations. Shtayyeh made the announcement on Monday, revealing that he had submitted the government’s resignation to President Mahmoud Abbas.

The decision comes against the backdrop of heightened scrutiny and demands for improved governance in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, particularly from the United States. The PA has faced longstanding allegations of corruption, both domestically and internationally.

Established in the mid-1990s following the Oslo Accords between the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel, the PA was intended as an interim government pending Palestinian statehood. However, it has struggled to assert authority, particularly in the face of divisions between political factions like Fatah and Hamas.

While the US advocates for a reformed PA overseeing both the West Bank and Gaza as part of a future independent state, the current political landscape remains fraught. Shtayyeh himself acknowledged in a recent CNN interview the necessity of US involvement in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, though he criticized the lack of political will from the current US administration.

Internally, the PA’s legitimacy has been increasingly questioned by Palestinians themselves. A survey conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research revealed widespread dissatisfaction, with over 60% of respondents expressing a desire for the dissolution of the PA. Additionally, support for President Abbas, who has been in power since 2005, has dwindled significantly, with a staggering 92% of West Bank respondents calling for his resignation.

The resignation of Prime Minister Shtayyeh and his government marks a significant development in Palestinian politics, highlighting both external pressures for reform and internal discontent with the current leadership. As discussions about succession and the future of the PA ensue, the region braces for further political uncertainty and potential shifts in governance.