Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat signed legislation Tuesday creating the position of prime minister hours after it was passed by parliament.
Arafat is expected to offer the job to No. 2 in the PLO, Mahmoud Abbas.
"It's the beginning of a transition - it is certainly a turning point and a qualitative shift in the political culture," said legislator Hanan Ashrawi. "Now we have power-sharing that is clearly spelled out."
Before Tuesday's session, Arafat dropped a demand to retain a say over appointing Cabinet ministers.
"The law is signed, ratified and will be published," said Saeb Erekat, a Cabinet minister. "That means the current government is now a caretaker government and the new Cabinet must be presented within three weeks."
Meanwhile, Israel's President Moshe Katsav secretly met last week with a senior Palestinian Authority official in an attempt to explore a possible cease-fire agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, Israel Radio reported Wednesday.
The radio said that in a meeting held with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's knowledge, Katsav met last Thursday in Jerusalem with Hani al-Hassan, the PA official responsible for Palestinian security forces.
"According to Palestinian authorities, during the meeting, Hani al-Hassan proposed a cease-fire and an end to terror attacks, with Israel withdrawing from Palestinian cities in Judea and Samaria [the West Bank], and the Palestinians undertaking responsibility for calm and security in those cities," it said. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
