A Palestinian prominent official does not rule out that there are certain people within the Palestinian Authority who have reached an agreement with the Israeli government regarding the proposed reforms in the structure of the Palestinian leadership. He hinted in particular to the role of those he described as a few advisors to the Palestinian leader and heads of security services agencies.
Fatah member and parliamentarian Hatem Abdel Qader called in an interview with Albawaba.com for making fundamental reforms based on the Palestinian interests and limiting Arafat’s powers in favor of Palestinian establishments that are capable of restructuring and managing the PA agencies. He said that all these agencies, departments and Palestinian affairs should not be run by one person aided by a bunch of advisors.
Following are excerpts of an interview with Abdel Qader:
Q. What are the general guidelines of the document which Fatah and PLO meeting will come up with and what would they agree upon? Will the meeting results be linked with Sharon’s conditions to resume the political negotiations including the reforms to be made in the Palestinian Authority?
A. We do not exactly know what the meeting will decide. The matter lies in the hands of Arafat but we as Fatah movement, know what we want. Everybody agrees on reforms beginning with Fatah leadership and ending with Sharon himself.
Definitely the concept of the change we want is different from that of Sharon who wants to reap the fruits of his invasion through creating an alternative leadership and a security and economic group linked with Israel. Our concept is to reap the fruits of our resistance and blood through making real and fundamental reforms in the PA structure in order to continue resistance.
Q. What is your vision of the proposed change?
A. For me the change has three dimensions. The first one is linked with the executive agencies including the cabinet, which we want to be technocratic and professional capable of development, rebuilding and providing services for the citizens. This cabinet should be headed by a coordinator between the Legislative Council and the president.
The second dimension is linked with the PLO regarding its reactivation and forming a full time negotiating delegation bearing in mind that the PLO should negotiate with Israel rather than the PA.
We do not want to mix between politics and professionalism, as a Minster should not be a negotiator and at the same time responsible for running his ministry. A security agency head should not also be a negotiator and at the same time a politician and administrator.
The third dimension is linked with the various Palestinian factions, which should agree on resistance means, and their geographic areas during this phase.
Q. Are these the proposals which were discussed by the Fatah Central committee?
A. These were put for discussion and finalized within the framework of Fatah movement field body and not within the framework of the Central Committee, which we think, is part of the problem. We told our brothers in Fatah Central Committee about these ideas and some of them promised to convince Arafat of them. We are waiting for the final answer but Arafat should be convinced, as such proposals won’t downplay his role because he continues to be as a symbol for Palestinians.
Q. You said in a press release that the document to be discussed by Fatah Central Committee would lead to limiting Arafat’s powers, can you give us details about what you meant?
A. I meant that we want real reforms that would help the president and support him and assert his legitimate leadership but it also give more room of responsibility for specialists.
We do not want all powers to be centered in of the president. He is the leader, symbol and president but there are professional, administrative and security responsibilities which should be assumed by competent agencies rather than by one person and a few advisors.
Q. Can you elaborate on the role of PLO in negotiations and what stands in its way as part of the PA?
A. It is wrong to mix between the PLO and PA, as the PA is an administrative body that was created after Oslo accord in order to look after the Palestinian people and providing them with the necessary services. The Legislative Council was elected on this basis. This council does not represent Palestinians in the Diaspora but the PLO is the body that represents them and should lead negotiations.
The Palestinian people should not rely totally on the PA as it might fall at any moment or Sharon might invade and destroy it completely. In this case would Palestinians stay without authority or PLO? The PLO is the reserve, backbone and base, which we should revert to.
Q. There are speculations that the current environment is similar to a great extent to the environment which preceded the announcement of Oslo accord in view of the rush movements by all concerned and the call for reforms. Do you think there is something being cooked?
A. There might be something cooked behind the scene and it might be that the security services leaders are behind that. But we are not part of this although we feel something in the air. (Albawaba.com)
