Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates (Palestine)
Government ministry of Palestine
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Palestine is the head of the government ministry in charge of Palestine's foreign relations. It was established on 30 April 2003 as a ministry within the Palestinian National Authority.
2003 (second form)
31°53′33.9554″N 35°11′23.0240″E
- Varsen Aghabekian, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates
| وزارة الخارجية والمغتربين | |
Seal of Palestine | |
 | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1948 (first form) 2003 (second form) |
| Jurisdiction | Government of Palestine |
| Headquarters | Foreign Ministry Building, Ramallah, Palestine 31°53′33.9554″N 35°11′23.0240″E |
| Minister responsible |
|
| Website | www |
History
Before the establishment of the standalone Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 30 April 2003, the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation handled foreign affairs from 5 July 1994 to 30 April 2003 before it was split into the Ministry of Planning and the Ministry of International Cooperation, which in turn was renamed and established as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ministry of Planning was reestablished and renamed as the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation on 31 March 2024 to handle the internal and external planning affairs of the Palestinian government and enhance cooperation with countries in various fields while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates handles diplomatic foreign relations with countries.
In June 2006, Israel attacked the Hamas' foreign ministry in Gaza, in response to the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit.[1] The third and fourth floors of the building were destroyed, and the incident ended without fatalities.[2]
Diplomatic relations
Palestine maintains diplomatic relations with 136 countries. It operates 87 embassies, 14 general delegations, 3 consulates-general and 6 special missions: a mission to the United Nations (New York), a mission to the United Nations institutions in Geneva, a mission to the United Nations institutions in Paris, an ambassador to the European Union (Brussels), a mission to the Arab League institutions in Cairo and a mission to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Jeddah.
List of ministers
- All-Palestine Government
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Party | Government | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Jamal al-Husayni (1894–1982) | 22 September 1948 | 1953 | Independent | All-Palestine |
- Government of Palestine
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Party | Government | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minister of Planning and International Cooperation | ||||||
| 1 |  |
Nabil Shaath (born 1938) | 5 July 1994 | 30 April 2003 | Fatah (PLO) | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates | ||||||
| 1 | |
Nabil Shaath (born 1938) | 30 April 2003 | 24 February 2005 | Fatah (PLO) | 6, 7, 8 |
| 2 |  |
Nasser al-Qudwa (born 1953) | 24 February 2005 | 29 March 2006 | Fatah (PLO) | 9 |
| 3 | .jpg) |
Mahmoud al-Zahar (born 1945) | 29 March 2006 | 17 March 2007 | Hamas | 10 |
| 4 | .jpg) |
Ziad Abu Amr (born 1950) | 17 March 2007 | 14 June 2007 | Independent | 11 |
| 5 | .jpg) |
Salam Fayyad (born 1952) | 14 June 2007 | 19 May 2009 | Third Way | 12 |
| 6 | .jpg) |
Riyad al-Maliki (born 1955) | 19 May 2009 | 31 March 2024 | Independent | 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 |
| 7 | .JPG) |
Mohammad Mustafa (born 1954) | 31 March 2024 | 23 June 2025 | Independent | 19 |
| 8 | .jpg) |
Varsen Aghabekian (born 1958) | 23 June 2025 | Incumbent | Independent | 19 |
List of ministers of state
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Party | Government | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |
Varsen Aghabekian (born 1958) | 31 March 2024 | 23 June 2025 | Independent | 19 |
