A new Palestinian cabinet should be declared in 48 hours, said Palestinian Authority (PA) cabinet secretary, Ahmed Abdel Rahman. "The composition of a new government is set to be announced in 48 hours," Abdel Rahman said. "It will include new faces," he said.
Arafat has appointed General Ahmed Razak Yehiyeh to be PA Interior Minister, al-Jazeera reported Saturday. Yehiyeh agreed to the appointment, which Arafat himself had previously filled.
As interior minister, Yehiyeh will be responsible for most of the Palestinian security mechanisms, although Arafat will remain the chief commander of the Palestinian security apparatus.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon left to Washington just after midnight to underline his view that Mideast peace negotiations should remain on hold until Palestinians stop attacking Israelis, a Sharon aide said Saturday. Sharon's spokesman, Raanan Gissin, said it would be a mistake to resume peace talks before rebuilding trust between Israelis and Palestinians.
"Everybody wants (progress), and it will happen when it is clear that there is intensive action against terror," Gissin said. "If that doesn't exist you can't set a timetable." "The United States needs to shape its Middle East policy," he said, "Obviously it wants to hear the positions of the parties involved before making decisions."
On his way back to Israel, Sharon intends to make a brief call on British Prime Minister Tony Blair in London on Wednesday, Gissin added. Gissin said the question of whether Israel might expel Arafat from the Palestinian territories was not likely to come up Monday at the White House. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
