Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel (NY-16), the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released this statement following Prime Minister Fayyad’s resignation as Palestinian Prime Minister:

“I was disappointed to learn of Salaam Fayyad’s resignation as prime minister of the Palestinian Authority. Fayyad won international commendation and respect for three important and unprecedented Palestinian achievements: budget transparency; the development of security forces that largely restored order in West Bank cities and towns; and an institution-building approach to statehood that associated Palestinian nationalism more with growth, development, and peace than with antagonism toward Israel. In considering a new prime minister, I hope President Abbas will appoint an individual who is fully committed to continuing and building on those important contributions. I congratulate Mr. Fayyad on a job well done and wish him well. “