Arafat delays signing Palestinian prime minister bill

AP / The Jerusalem Post ^ | 13 March 2003 | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

[anotherview]

Mar. 13, 2003
Arafat delays signing prime minister bill
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat delayed the signing of a bill that forces him to share power with a prime minister. Arafat asked for two procedural changes, including retaining the right to convene Cabinet ministers.

Arafat aides confirmed the Palestinian leader has asked for changes in legislation creating the post of prime minister.

The Palestinian legislature approved the bill on Monday, as part of U.S.-sought reform efforts aimed at curbing Arafat's sweeping powers. The prime minister will be able to form a new Cabinet and supervise the work of the ministers. The prime minister also convenes and chairs Cabinet meetings.

The legislature's next scheduled meeting is Monday.

[anotherview]

Arafat, as usual, wants to keep control for himself. The odds of the Palestinian Authority reforming voluntarily are about as great as the odds of Saddam Hussein disarming voluntarily.

[DonQ]

This is not terribly unusual with Arafat. Last year it was mentioned that he had finally signed some enactment that inched the PA closer and closer to having a real constitution ... but he did it fully two years after the legislature had passed it.