Next Regime Change

[Monte Smith]

Might come to the Palestinian Authority--peacefully.




RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and his premier-designate have narrowed differences over cabinet posts and powers which are blocking a Middle East peace plan, a senior Palestinian official said on Tuesday.


The United States and the European Union have weighed in behind Mahmoud Abbas in his leadership tussle with Arafat.


Hanging in the balance are Arafat's decades-old domination of Palestinian politics and a U.S.-backed peace "road map" that envisages an end to two-and-a-half years of Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the creation of a Palestinian state by 2005.


Washington has said it will not present the peace package until after the installation of a new Palestinian government that it hopes will pursue democratic reforms.


But Arafat has objected to Abbas's cabinet roster and to attempts to end his control of Palestinian security forces which, under the peace plan, are to rein in militants who have been attacking Israelis in the uprising for independence.


A senior Palestinian official said after a meeting of the Central Committee of Arafat's Fatah faction on Tuesday night that "the differences have been narrowed down.


"The situation is better than before and we hope that the cabinet will be presented in the coming 24 hours," the official said, without elaboration.


A source close to Abbas said earlier that he had written a resignation letter but had not handed it to Arafat in order to give time for further local and international mediation.


Arafat, 73, angered by mounting pressure to cede key powers, shouted at Miguel Moratinos, the EU's Middle East peace envoy, and slammed down the phone when he called on Sunday to hammer home an uncompromising message, Palestinian officials said.


With a deadline for agreement on a cabinet expiring on Wednesday night, the officials said Moratinos told Arafat the EU would accept no one but Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, as prime minister. The EU envoy telephoned again on Monday, they said.


ARAFAT UNDER PRESSURE


British Prime Minister Tony Blair, a leading campaigner for the road map and backer of Abbas, phoned Arafat on Tuesday for "an exchange of views" on forming the cabinet, Blair's office said. Japan's foreign minister also called, Abbas aides said.


Russian envoy Andrei Vdovin, whose country is in the international "Quartet" of peacemakers promoting the road map, told Arafat in a meeting on Saturday that Palestinians could afford no more delay.


"Either you (Palestinians) start improving the situation through forming a cabinet headed by Abu Mazen to release the road map...or the situation will continue to deteriorate," Vdovin told reporters.


"Pressure is coming from everywhere. Everybody is saying hurry up and form the cabinet," said Abbas Zaki, a member of the Fatah Central Committee, after being briefed by Palestinian mediators trying to resolve the crisis.


There was no public word from Abbas, a former peace negotiator seen as a moderate who has avoided the media since accepting the premiership on condition it came with real powers.


A senior U.S. official, who asked not to be identified, called on Arafat to "stop blocking" Abbas from taking the post.


Abbas wants ex-Gaza security chief Mohammed Dahlan to become interior minister in charge of Palestinian security forces.

Arafat, who reluctantly bowed to pressure from U.S. and other international mediators to name a prime minister, has resisted Dahlan's appointment and the international bid to loosen his grip on security and peace diplomacy.

(Additional reporting by Wafa Amr)

Count me in for guarded optimism.........

[Monte Smith]

Looks like some positive progress on booting the heinous old coot upstairs:



Abbas, Arafat End Standoff, Agree on New Palestinian Cabinet

Wednesday, April 23, 2003


RAMALLAH, West Bank_?_Prime Minister-designate_Mahmoud Abbas_presented a new Cabinet to_Yasser Arafat_on Wednesday, ending a days-long standoff with the Palestinian leader over its composition and keeping a U.S.-backed peace plan on track.

The agreement was essential for keeping alive a U.S.-backed peace plan for full Palestinian statehood within three years. President Bush has said he would only present that plan after an empowered Palestinian prime minister is installed, part of U.S. efforts to sideline Arafat.

Palestinian Parliament Speaker Ahmed Qureia said he was informed by Abbas and Arafat that the new Cabinet had been formed, just hours before a midnight deadline, and the list of ministers is ready for presentation to the 88-member parliament. The list was to be announced later Wednesday.

"We were asked to call for a special session of the Palestinian legislature to vote confidence in the new government," Qureia told The Associated Press. "I will call for a session ... within a week."

Arafat had challenged several Abbas appointments, particularly that of former Gaza security official Mohammed Dahlan to a key security post. However, at the root of the conflict had been the Palestinian leader's reluctance to share power with Abbas, who has the backing of international Mideast mediators, including the United States.

The compromise apparently was brokered with the help of Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, who pressed Abbas and Arafat toward a compromise in a series of meetings earlier Wednesday.

Arafat announced an end to the standoff at his headquarters Wednesday afternoon, sitting at the Cabinet table flanked by Suleiman and Abbas. The Palestinian leader, known for his theatrical gestures, held hands with the two men as he declared the argument put to rest.

Dahlan, who will serve as state minister for security affairs as originally envisioned by Abbas, sat several seats down from Arafat at the Cabinet table.

An Egyptian official, said on condition of anonymity that Arafat, in exchange for backing down, was given guarantees regarding his personal safety and was told his personal isolation would end. Israel has enforced a travel ban on Arafat since December 2001, and Israeli Cabinet ministers have called for his expulsion.

Israeli officials were not available for comment because of the Jewish Passover holiday.

Arafat also was promised that he would be consulted on major security issues and he would remain in charge of talks with Israel, the Egyptian official said.

Palestinian Planning Minister Nabil Shaath confirmed a few names on the list, saying Abbas would double as interior minister, thus overseeing any future crackdown on Palestinian militants. Shaath said he would serve as foreign minister.

At the White House, press secretary Ari Fleischer said the road map will not be immediately forthcoming with Abbas' presentation of a Cabinet. First, the Cabinet must be approved by the Palestinian legislature, he said.

"When that happens we will officially provide the road map to the parties soon thereafter," Fleischer said.

By law, Abbas has the sole authority to form the Cabinet, but in practice needs Arafat's blessing. The Cabinet requires the approval of parliament, where the ruling Fatah party, which sided with Arafat in this showdown, commands a solid majority. It remained unclear whether Abbas' Cabinet would win approval.

Abbas has lost valuable support in Fatah by appointing several politicians tainted by corruption to his Cabinet and by not bringing in new faces.

International mediators have been watched the standoff closely and exerted intense pressure on Arafat.

In the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, Arafat received phone calls from Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak, the Qatari foreign minister, the Arab League secretary-general and the Greek foreign minister, a senior Palestinian official said.

Mubarak called twice and dispatched Suleiman to the West Bank.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Tuesday it was up to the Palestinians to choose their leader. However, Abbas should be free to select his Cabinet, Boucher said.

"You don't have an empowered prime minister, you don't have a leadership that's capable of establishing the institutions of a state unless the leaders get to choose the members of their Cabinet," Boucher said.

Apropos desperately needed regime change....let's not forget Bush the Pretender.

[Uli]

Originally posted by Chris A
Apropos desperately needed regime change....let's not forget Bush the Pretender.

Couldn't agree more, Chris. Let's get rid of the moron should be everybody's priority now.

[Monte Smith]

Always on message, boys. Admirable.

[Pete C]

Probably the next regime change the U.S. attempts will be to overthrow the leadership of the Self-flagellating Fundementalist Shiite Republic of Iraq.

[Al in NYC]

I wish we could overthrow the Self-Aggrandizing Fundamentalist Christian Robber Baron "Republic" of Texas now ruling with highly dubious legitimacy in Washington D.C.

[Pete C]

When it comes to plunder they're just America firsters.

[Darryl G. Thomas]

Hey Monte if we stay on message we're just copying Bush> Huge budget surplus: cut taxes; huge budget deficit: cut taxes; failing economy: cut taxes; Yankees in first place: cu taxes.

It'll be interesting how this Arafat thing plays out. It's obvious that the PLO wants to kick him upstairs but he ain't gonna go quietly.

But if he's ousted, what will be the Israeli response? Sharon's not giving up the settlements, Hamas and Hezbollah wants the state of Israel to disappear. Not too much middle ground there.

[Monte Smith]

Darryl:

I think if the PA reforms, you will see pressure put on Sharon to back down on settlements and allow the reconstitution of the PA entity that has been destroyed by the second intifada. There is precedent. Israel gave up settlements in the Egyptian desert, after all, and the PA was chugging along until Wye.

Unfortunately, we had another terror attack in Israel today. A key to a peace process becoming more than process (actual peace) would be to end Hamas and Hezbollah support from Iran and Syria. Anytime they want, those groups can throw a kink in the peace process by encouraging another young Palestinian to blow hisself up for the cause. Remains to be seen if recent US actions in the world encourage or discourage the jihad fad. Certainly it would seem to discourage active government complicitly in the craze--no head of state wants to be the next Saddam.

We'll see.