Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority

The prime minister of the Palestinian National Authority was the position of the official head of government of the Palestinian Authority government, which operated between 2003 and January 2013, when it was officially transformed into the State of Palestine. Some still refer to the position of the prime minister of the Gaza Strip as the prime minister of the Palestinian National Authority. The Prime Minister's Office was created in 2003 to manage day-to-day activities of the Palestinian government, which had previously been performed by Yasser Arafat. The position was created because both Israel and the United States refused to negotiate directly with Arafat. The executive structure of the government lies under the president of the Palestinian National Authority. The first prime minister of the Palestinian National Authority was Mahmoud Abbas. He was nominated on 19 March 2003 by President Arafat. On 29 April, the Palestinian Legislative Council approved the appointment and his government. Abbas's short term was marked by a power struggle with Arafat over control of the Palestinian Security Services, with Arafat refusing to relinquish control to Abbas. The issue was critical because the Roadmap for peace plan required the Palestinian side to stop violent attacks by various Palestinian militant groups, which Arafat refused to do. Abbas resigned as Prime Minister on 6 September 2003, citing lack of support from Israel and the United States as well as "internal incitement" against his government. Abbas was followed in the office by Ahmed Qurei, who as Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council became acting prime minister. Arafat nominated Qurei for the post of Prime Minister, who agreed to form an "emergency government" on 10 September. The next day, Qurei decided to form a full government rather than a trimmed one. Arafat appointed Qurei Prime Minister on 5 October 2003 by presidential decree, and Qurei's eight-member emergency government was sworn in on 9 October. The Fatah dominated PLC refused to a vote of confidence in the government.