Post by Salem6 on Oct 7, 2003 12:07:05 GMT
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has sworn in an emergency cabinet, with Ahmed Qurei as prime minister.
The government is to serve for a maximum term of two months.
Qurei (right) says Palestinian leadership must take control of security
Mr Qurei has stressed his commitment to peace and ending "chaos" and to pushing forward with the implementation of the internationally-backed roadmap.
He said on Monday he was pinning his hopes on being able to establish a form of truce with Israel.
"We are ready... to sit with them [the Israelis] to discuss reaching a comprehensive ceasefire," he told the Associated Press news agency.
The move comes amidst increasing tensions within the Palestinian territories after a female Palestinian suicide bomber killed 19 Israelis, including several children, in a packed Haifa restaurant on Saturday.
On Tuesday morning Israeli troops were said to have captured 31 suspected Islamic Jihad militants in a raid in the suicide bomber's home town of Jenin in response to the attack, French news agency AFP reported.
'Desperate measure'
The new cabinet is to hold its first meeting immediately after being sworn in, Mr Qurei said.
EMERGENCY CABINET
Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei
Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath
Finance Minister Salam Fayad
Interior Minister Nasser Yousef
Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat
Education Minister Nabil Abul Hummus
Local Affairs Minister Jamal Shobaki
Jawad Tibi and Abdel Rahman Hamad (positions not given)
Analysis: Bleak prospects
The eight-strong cabinet includes both allies of Mr Arafat and members from the government of the previous Prime Minister, Mahmoud Abbas, who resigned after a power struggle with Mr Arafat.
The BBC's Barbara Plett in Ramallah says Mr Arafat's decision to appoint Mr Qurei is a desperate measure to project leadership where there has been none.
The Haifa bombing sparked renewed calls in Israel to eject Mr Arafat and Mr Arafat may hope that by getting a government in place quickly he can ward off an Israeli strike against him.
Mr Qurei insists the Palestinian leadership needs to "assert control over security".
'No civil war'
But he warned that he would not risk a civil war by using force against Palestinian militants.
"We will not confront, we will not go for a civil war," he told the Associated Press.
"I will not listen to the Americans, I will listen to our national rights," he said.
Israel decided in principle to "remove" Mr Arafat after 15 people were killed in twin suicide bombings in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv on 9 September.
It has not said when or how it might carry out such a threat but acknowledges a raid on Mr Arafat's Ramallah headquarters could result in his death.
The government is to serve for a maximum term of two months.
Qurei (right) says Palestinian leadership must take control of security
Mr Qurei has stressed his commitment to peace and ending "chaos" and to pushing forward with the implementation of the internationally-backed roadmap.
He said on Monday he was pinning his hopes on being able to establish a form of truce with Israel.
"We are ready... to sit with them [the Israelis] to discuss reaching a comprehensive ceasefire," he told the Associated Press news agency.
The move comes amidst increasing tensions within the Palestinian territories after a female Palestinian suicide bomber killed 19 Israelis, including several children, in a packed Haifa restaurant on Saturday.
On Tuesday morning Israeli troops were said to have captured 31 suspected Islamic Jihad militants in a raid in the suicide bomber's home town of Jenin in response to the attack, French news agency AFP reported.
'Desperate measure'
The new cabinet is to hold its first meeting immediately after being sworn in, Mr Qurei said.
EMERGENCY CABINET
Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei
Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath
Finance Minister Salam Fayad
Interior Minister Nasser Yousef
Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat
Education Minister Nabil Abul Hummus
Local Affairs Minister Jamal Shobaki
Jawad Tibi and Abdel Rahman Hamad (positions not given)
Analysis: Bleak prospects
The eight-strong cabinet includes both allies of Mr Arafat and members from the government of the previous Prime Minister, Mahmoud Abbas, who resigned after a power struggle with Mr Arafat.
The BBC's Barbara Plett in Ramallah says Mr Arafat's decision to appoint Mr Qurei is a desperate measure to project leadership where there has been none.
The Haifa bombing sparked renewed calls in Israel to eject Mr Arafat and Mr Arafat may hope that by getting a government in place quickly he can ward off an Israeli strike against him.
Mr Qurei insists the Palestinian leadership needs to "assert control over security".
'No civil war'
But he warned that he would not risk a civil war by using force against Palestinian militants.
"We will not confront, we will not go for a civil war," he told the Associated Press.
"I will not listen to the Americans, I will listen to our national rights," he said.
Israel decided in principle to "remove" Mr Arafat after 15 people were killed in twin suicide bombings in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv on 9 September.
It has not said when or how it might carry out such a threat but acknowledges a raid on Mr Arafat's Ramallah headquarters could result in his death.