Posted on 03/06/2003 2:57:49 PM PST by anotherview
23:39 | Arafat names Mahmoud Abbas as Palestinian prime minister (UPDATE)
By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat has decided to appoint the PLO's second-in-command, Mahmoud Abbas, as prime minister of the PA.
The Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, Ahmed Qurie, announced Thursday night that Arafat offered the job to Abbas, who is also known as Abu Mazen.
A senior Palestinian official in Ramallah confirmed that Abbas was offered the job. The official would not say whether Abbas accepted the offer.
He said Arafat's offer to Abbas followed a series of consultations with several Palestinian officials, including Fatah activists. Arafat has come under pressure from Fatah leaders in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to appoint Abbas to the top job.
Abbas, 68, enjoys the support of the majority of Palestinian officials and Fatah activists. His appointment is expected to be endorsed by the Palestinian Legislative Council, which is expected to hold a special session in Ramallah next week.
Israel has agreed to allow most of the 84 members of the PLC to attend the session. At least 20 legislators from the Gaza Strip have been denied permission to travel to Ramallah because of their involvement in terror activities, security sources said Thursday night.
The PLO's central council is also expected to hold a meeting in Ramallah on Saturday to discuss the appointment of a prime minister for the PA. The council consists of more than 200 members, and according to Palestinian officials Israel has given permission to most of them to arrive in Ramallah.
The PLO sesion is expected to discuss the powers of the prime minister and the amendment of the PA's Basic Law so it would include the position of premeir.
Earlier, Palestinian Cabinet Secretary-General Ahmed Abdel Rahman said that the new prime minister should be elected from within the ranks of the Fatah movement. He said all the names that are being mentioned in the Israeli and foreign media as candidates for the job are based on speculation only.
"The most suitable candidate for the job should be a member of Fatah," Abdel Rahman explained. "He should work towards establishing a Palestinian state, which is the goal of Fatah, which represents all forms of Palestinian struggle."
Abdel Rahman's remarks came in response to rumors according to which Arafat has decided to appoint Munib al Masri, a millionaire from Nablus, as prime minister. Masri said Thursday that he has never received such an offer from anyone in the Palestinian Authority.
Qurei, who has publicly called for appointing Abbas to the post, called for appointing a prime minister with real authorities,"and not just someone who would do secretarial work under Arafat." Qurie, who is also known as Abu Ala, said it was high time that Arafat relays some of his powers to someone else. He added that there was no need for Arafat to deal with the tiniest details related to the day-to-day affairs of the Palestinians.
Meanwhile, Arafat met in Ramallah Thursday with UN special envoy to the Middle East, Terje Roed-Larsen, and discussed with him the issue of appointing a prime minister.
Palestinian officials said Arafat invited Larsen and representatives of Russia, the US and UN to attend the PLC meeting. Arafat reportedly asked Larsen to apply pressure on Israel to allow all members of the PLC and the PLO council to attend the meetings in Ramallah.
Nostradamus flavor-of-the-month antichrist Mabus quatrain ping.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.