Newly formed Palestinian government to repeat swearing-in

The 18th newly formed Palestinian government of Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh will have to repeat its swearing-in in front of President Mahmoud Abbas, on Sunday, in the central occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, Ma’an News reports.

The repetition would take place after it was discovered that the text of the swearing-in of the new government had a typing error.

The correct text of the swearing-in should read, “I swear to be loyal to the homeland and its sanctities, to the people and its national heritage, to respect the constitutional order and the law, and to take full care of the interests of the Palestinian people.”

President Mahmoud Abbas gave confidence on Saturday to the newly formed 18th Palestinian government and made this confidence a law.

READ: New Palestinian government sworn in amid factional tensions

Most of the 22 members of the 18th government are new, the key ministries, such as the finance and foreign ministries, remained the same, in addition to Shtayyeh kept the Ministry of Interior and the Religious Affairs Ministry the same until someone else is named to these posts.

Abbas said that the mission of the new government will be to speed up reuniting the West Bank and Gaza Strip, as well as to work toward holding legislative elections in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip to strengthen democracy.

He added that the government will also continue to financially support families of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons and those killed by the Israeli army, to strengthen the steadfastness of the Palestinian people in facing the Israeli settlement policies, defend East Jerusalem and its holy places, and to build a strong national economy.