Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has presented today his new cabinet, signaling internal reform in the Palestinian Authority (PA). The PA chairman was put under pressure by US President George W. Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to reform his government institutions and voice an uncompromising stance on terror.
The Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) forced the government to resign last month, criticizing a lack of transparency and professionalism in its proceedings. If ratified by parliament next week, the new cabinet hopes to remain in office until presidential and legislative elections take place in January 2003.
Not quite the overhaul demanded by parliament, a confidence vote is nonetheless anticipated to pass. The reshuffled 19-member government body—downsized from 21—is still dominated by the chairman’s close aides. Hani Al-Hassan, an executive at Arafat's Fatah faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), has replaced Reformist Interior Minister Abdel-Razzak Al-Yahya. Three ministries—civil affairs, youth and sports and telecommunications—were abolished, while the heads of four other offices— heath, interior, justice and prisoners affairs —were replaced.
Condemning terrorist attacks “everywhere in the world,'' Arafat extended an olive branch to Israel, in a speech to the Palestinian parliament at his reestablished Muqataa headquarters in Ramallah. "So here we extend our hand to you (Israel) in reconciliation… to resume the path that we began in Madrid and Oslo," Arafat stated. — (albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
