Fayyad's resignation and reappointment were part of a move by moderate President Mahmoud Abbas to consolidate his control over the West Bank.

In a countermove, Ahmed Bahar of Hamas, the acting parliament speaker, convened a special session of parliament to challenge Abbas's decisions. By law, any new government requires parliament approval. However, the legislature has been paralysed as a result of the power struggle between Hamas and Abbas's Fatah movement.