The Ministry of Interior and National Security is the branch of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) cabinet in charge of the security and the statistics of the population of Palestine. Since Hamas' takeover of Gaza, the position of the Interior Ministry within the Palestinian Security Services is unclear.
History In 2006, the Israel Defense Forces struck the office building of the Interior Ministry multiple times as a part of a bombing campaign in Gaza. The attacks were in response to the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier.Israel hits Palestinian Interior Ministry. CNN, 5 July 2006
In June 2007, the office in Gaza was taken by Said Seyam as part of the Hamas government of June 2007. Hamas' takeover of Gaza left the Ramallah-based version of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) as the Palestinian leadership in only the occupied West Bank and a Hamas-led government in control of the Gaza Strip.
Fathi Hamad took office in January 2009, following assassination of Said Seyam on 15 January 2009 during the 2008–2009 Gaza War. In August 2012, following government reshuffle by Prime Minister Ismail Haniyye, Fathi Hamad remained in position.
Function The ministry is in charge of the security and statistics of the people in the Gaza Strip.
The Interior Minister also leads the Hamas Public Affairs Department and is the director of Al-Aqsa TV, the Hamas-run television station.
List of ministers Interior Ministers of the Palestinian Authority # Name Party Governments Term start Term end Notes 1 Yasser Arafat"So, what were we doing about it?"—Birzeit Diary, Nigel Parry, 26 June 1996 Fatah 1, 2, 3 5 July 1994 13 June 2002 Serving President 2 Abdel Razak al-YehiyehPNA Government June - october 2002, JMCC PLO/Independent 4 13 June 2002 29 October 2002 3 Hani al-HassanFormer PA Government. October 2002 - April 2003 , JMCC Fatah 5 29 October 2002 30 April 2003 4 Mahmoud AbbasThe PA Ministerial Cabinet List April 2003 - October 2003, JMCCOfficials 'not sure' if Arafat will accept Abbas resignation. AP, 7 September 2003Arafat vs Abbas. Al-Ahram Weekly, 17–23 July 2003, Issue No. 647 Fatah 6 30 April 2003 6 September 2003 Serving Prime Minister — The PA Ministerial Cabinet List Emergency Cabinet October 2003 - November 2003. JMCC. Archived on 5 September 2006was nominated,Presidential Decree No. ( ) of 2003, JMCCNew Palestinian Cabinet OK'd. Ellen Crean, Associated Press, 29 September 2003 but not appointed.Palestinian designate: Future as PM uncertain. CNN, 12 October 2003 Fatah 7 7 October 2003 12 November 2003 5 Hakam BalawiThe PA Ministerial Cabinet List November 2003 , JMCC Fatah 7, 8 13 October 2003 (acting)12 November 2003 12 November 2003 (acting)24 February 2005 6 Current Palestinian Government Structure (Factsheet). MIFTAH, 3 December 2005 Fatah 9 24 February 2005 29 March 2006 7 Said Seyam Hamas 10 29 March 2006 17 March 2007 8 Hani Talab al-QawasmiThe PA Ministerial Cabinet List—The National Unity Government March 2007. JMCC. Archived on 4 October 2009 Hamas/Independent(unity government) 11 17 March 2007 23 April 2007 9 Ismail Haniyeh Hamas 11 23 April 2007 14 June 2007 Serving Prime Minister (2) Abdel Razak al-YehiyehThe PA Ministerial Cabinet List The Emergency Government June 2007 - July 2007. JMCC, archived on 18 August 2007The PA Ministerial Cabinet List July 2007 PLO/Independent 12 15 June 2007 19 May 2009 10 Saeed Abu AliWho are the members of the new Palestinian government?. Ma'an News Agency, 19 May 2009Government of the State of Palestine, 6 June 2013. UN Observer SoP. Archived on 18 October 2013 Fatah 13, 14, 15,16 19 May 2009 2 June 2014 11 Rami HamdallahGovernment of the State of Palestine, 2 June 2014. UN Observer SoP. Archived on 22 September 2015 from Government of the State of Palestine, 2 June 2014, accessed November 2015 Fatah/Independent(unity government) Thumbnails of key ministers in Palestinian Cabinet. Associated Press, 2 June 2014 17 2 June 2014 14 April 2019 Serving Prime Minister 12 Mohammad Shtayyeh Fatah 18 13 April 2019 1 January 2022 Serving Prime Minister 13 Fatah 18, 19 1 January 2022 Incumbent
Interior and National Security Ministers in the Gaza Strip # Name Party Term start Term end Notes 1 Said Seyam Hamas 15 June 2007 15 January 2009 2 Fathi HamadHamas officially announces Fathi Hamad new Interior Minister. Palestinian Press, 27 April 2009New Hamas cabinet approved by lawmakers. Ma'an, 27 August 2012 Hamas April 2009 2 June 2014 3 Mohammed AwadHamas 2019 Incumbent
See also Palestinian Security Services Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates (Palestine) Ministry of Finance (Palestine)
Notes
References
External links
Official Interior Ministry Website (Gaza Strip)