Wednesday, April 23, 2003
Well, it was coming down to the wire, and up till just hours ago we heard the whole thing was a failure, but it seems like a last second agreement may be in the offing as every world leader including a Martian delegation has put pressure on Arafat to give up on a little of his power.
Article Static
Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat and his prime minister-designate Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) reached an agreement Wednesday on the composition of the new cabinet, a Palestinian official said. The agreement is a major step toward the presentation of the U.S-backed road map to Middle East peace.
"Arafat and brother Abu Mazen have sorted out their differences," said Tayeb Abdul-Rahim, a senior aide to Arafat, after last-minute mediation efforts by a senior Egyptian envoy.
Abdul-Rahim said that under the deal, Abu Mazen will serve as interior minister and Mohammed Dahlan, the former Gaza security chief whom Arafat did not want in any executive position, will be in charge of security affairs.
Palestinian Parliament Speaker Ahmed Qureia (Abu Ala) said he was informed by Abu Mazen and Arafat that the new cabinet has been formed and that the list of ministers is ready for presentation to the parliament.
"We were asked to call for a special session of the Palestinian legislature to vote confidence in the new government," Abu Ala told The Associated Press. "I will call for a session... within a week."
The announcement of the agreement comes after the head of Egyptian Intelligence, Omar Suleiman, placed heavy pressure on Arafat to find a solution to the dispute with Abu Mazen over the composition of the new cabinet.
Arafat had objected to the would-be prime minister's nomination of Dahlan for the head of the new government's security services, and Wednesday presented his own three-strong short list of candidates.
But Suleiman, sent Wednesday by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, urged Arafat to give up his demands, Israel Radio reported. The Egyptian envoy assured Arafat that he would remain leader of the Palestinian nation, but pressed him to rescind his demands over the formulation of the cabinet, the radio said.
Abu Mazen, who had not met with Arafat since Saturday, arrived at Arafat's Ramallah headquarters Wednesday afternoon, along with Suleiman and Dahlan.[...]
"Arafat and brother Abu Mazen have sorted out their differences," said Tayeb Abdul-Rahim, a senior aide to Arafat, after last-minute mediation efforts by a senior Egyptian envoy.
Abdul-Rahim said that under the deal, Abu Mazen will serve as interior minister and Mohammed Dahlan, the former Gaza security chief whom Arafat did not want in any executive position, will be in charge of security affairs.
Palestinian Parliament Speaker Ahmed Qureia (Abu Ala) said he was informed by Abu Mazen and Arafat that the new cabinet has been formed and that the list of ministers is ready for presentation to the parliament.
"We were asked to call for a special session of the Palestinian legislature to vote confidence in the new government," Abu Ala told The Associated Press. "I will call for a session... within a week."
The announcement of the agreement comes after the head of Egyptian Intelligence, Omar Suleiman, placed heavy pressure on Arafat to find a solution to the dispute with Abu Mazen over the composition of the new cabinet.
Arafat had objected to the would-be prime minister's nomination of Dahlan for the head of the new government's security services, and Wednesday presented his own three-strong short list of candidates.
But Suleiman, sent Wednesday by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, urged Arafat to give up his demands, Israel Radio reported. The Egyptian envoy assured Arafat that he would remain leader of the Palestinian nation, but pressed him to rescind his demands over the formulation of the cabinet, the radio said.
Abu Mazen, who had not met with Arafat since Saturday, arrived at Arafat's Ramallah headquarters Wednesday afternoon, along with Suleiman and Dahlan.[...]
One wonders what kind of agreement they came to concerning security arrangements and disarming Fatah. Same day's Ha'Aretz:
Arafat rejects plan by Abu Mazen to disarm Fatah militia:
The dispute between Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat and Palestinian prime minister-designate Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) over the formation of a new government centers around the latter's plans to dismantle Fatah's Al Aqsa Brigades and his intentions to deal with the other armed factions in the territories.
Most reports have focused on Abu Mazen's plan to make Mohammed Dahlan, the Gazan strongman and former head of the Preventive Security Services in the Gaza Strip, head of the new government's security services. However, Palestinian sources said the dispute actually revolves around the premier-designate's plans for establishing a new PA security policy, and whether he must win Arafat's approval for every decision he makes.
The sources said Abu Mazen's plans to disarm the underground armed wing of Fatah, the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, and how he will confront Hamas and Islamic Jihad are at the heart of the dispute.
Abu Mazen insists that he be granted sole authority over the disarming of armed factions, while Arafat rejects the demand, fearing that the disarming of the Al Aqsa Brigades would lead to a civil war. The two also have not reached an agreement as to how to deal with the other armed factions.
Despite massive international pressure, including phone calls from European leaders to Arafat, the dispute has come down to the wire. To meet his deadline, Abu Mazen must present his government to the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) by tonight. However, as of late, a majority of the PLC, which gave a sweeping mandate to Abu Mazen to form a government just two months ago, has consolidated around Arafat. As a result, it is doubtful that the prime minister-designate can win the council's vote of confidence unless he reaches a deal with Arafat.
The pressure on Arafat has been so great, according to Palestinian sources, that at one point Arafat slammed down the phone on a senior European statesman.
Although Arafat and Abu Mazen reached an agreement that 12 to 14 of the PA's former ministers will remain in a 24-to-26-member government, as favored by Abu Mazen, the dispute over overall strategy - and Arafat's role in setting that course - has superseded their apparent compromise. The dispute, therefore, appears to be threatening not only an Abu Mazen government, but also the international road map intended to renew political negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
Most reports have focused on Abu Mazen's plan to make Mohammed Dahlan, the Gazan strongman and former head of the Preventive Security Services in the Gaza Strip, head of the new government's security services. However, Palestinian sources said the dispute actually revolves around the premier-designate's plans for establishing a new PA security policy, and whether he must win Arafat's approval for every decision he makes.
The sources said Abu Mazen's plans to disarm the underground armed wing of Fatah, the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, and how he will confront Hamas and Islamic Jihad are at the heart of the dispute.
Abu Mazen insists that he be granted sole authority over the disarming of armed factions, while Arafat rejects the demand, fearing that the disarming of the Al Aqsa Brigades would lead to a civil war. The two also have not reached an agreement as to how to deal with the other armed factions.
Despite massive international pressure, including phone calls from European leaders to Arafat, the dispute has come down to the wire. To meet his deadline, Abu Mazen must present his government to the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) by tonight. However, as of late, a majority of the PLC, which gave a sweeping mandate to Abu Mazen to form a government just two months ago, has consolidated around Arafat. As a result, it is doubtful that the prime minister-designate can win the council's vote of confidence unless he reaches a deal with Arafat.
The pressure on Arafat has been so great, according to Palestinian sources, that at one point Arafat slammed down the phone on a senior European statesman.
Although Arafat and Abu Mazen reached an agreement that 12 to 14 of the PA's former ministers will remain in a 24-to-26-member government, as favored by Abu Mazen, the dispute over overall strategy - and Arafat's role in setting that course - has superseded their apparent compromise. The dispute, therefore, appears to be threatening not only an Abu Mazen government, but also the international road map intended to renew political negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
