Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei withdrew his resignation at Yasser Arafat's insistence on Tuesday, a Cabinet minister said.
Qurei told his Cabinet he had agreed to stay on the job but he was clearly angry at its limited powers and said he saw himself only as a caretaker premier.
According to The AP, Qurei "told Arafat that his government must have real authority, especially over the security branches in order for it to be effective," said Qadoura Fares, a minister without portfolio.
The Cabinet crisis erupted after a series of kidnappings and riots in the Gaza Strip last week, followed by Arafat's reshuffle of top security posts.
The prime minister submitted his resignation on Saturday, protesting the situation in the Strip and the disorder in the Palestinian security system. (albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
