(JNS.org) Salam Fayyad has resigned his position as prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, adding uncertainty to the future of peace talks. Upon taking office in 2007, Fayyad received praise from some Western and Israeli leaders for his transparency as compared with other Palestinian leaders, as well as the economic and security development he oversaw in the West Bank. Fayyad’s tenure, however, was also marked by the PA’s unilateral statehood bids the last two years at the UN and the PA’s continued payments of salaries to Palestinian terrorists serving in Israeli prisons. Fayyad in December 2012 called for Palestinians to stop buying Israeli products, and in November 2012 called on the international community to “force Israel to stop its aggression” during Operation Pillar of Defense. Over the past few years, the PA has been crippled by economic problems as international aid has dried up due to the global economic crisis. This led to massive street protests in the West Bank and calls for Fayyad’s ouster.