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Thursday, Feb 24, 2005

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  On Wednesday, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas intervened in the dispute between parliament and his prime minister, and persuaded legislators from his Fatah Party to support a Cabinet largely consisting of ministers chosen for their expertise, not political loyalty.

The crisis strengthened Abbas and weakened Qureia, who may not survive as prime minister beyond parliamentary elections in July, after which a new Cabinet would be formed. After Yasser Arafat's death in November, Abbas and Qureia cooperated during a transition period, but relations have cooled since then.

Abbas won Jan. 9 presidential elections in part on a promise to reform the government and the security services, and the new Cabinet could help him in the job.

Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom praised the appointment of the Cabinet as a "positive step," but said he would withhold final judgment until the government's approach to militant groups becomes clear. Abbas has said he would avoid confrontation with militants, and it appears unlikely the new Cabinet would adopt a different approach.

Virtually all the new ministers are experts in the field they are to oversee, including 10 with doctorates, a medical doctor, a lawyer, several engineers and several with master's degrees.

The names were chosen in Wednesday's meeting between Abbas and Fatah legislators, said Abbas Zaki, a top Fatah official. "We had about 100 names of top professionals, and we chose them one-by-one, not through voting, but by consensus, as the best to handle these posts," he said.

The method stood in stark contrast to the formation of Cabinets in the Arafat era, when he would choose the ministers based on loyalty.

"It's a turning point in the rationale, the approach and the methodology of forming Cabinets, in going beyond political patronage ... and to look for people who can deliver," said legislator Hanan Ashrawi.

Among the key appointments are Nasser Yousef, a tough ex-general, as interior minister who would oversee security reform and try to rein in Palestinian militants. Nasser Al-Kidwa, the former Palestinian representative to the United Nations and an Arafat nephew, was chosen as foreign minister.

Salam Fayyad, the Palestinians' widely respected finance minister for the last three years, will keep his job. Saeb Erekat will continue in his role as chief negotiator with Israel, but will lose his Cabinet position.

In Israel, meanwhile, the Yediot Ahronot daily reported Thursday that police expect most Jewish settlers will resist evacuation from the Gaza Strip and northern West Bank, and are girding for an array of extreme scenarios that include attacks on Israeli and Palestinian public figures, and threats of mass suicide.

Police didn't comment on the report.

The report, citing a secret document police submitted to Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, said that contrary to their public declarations, police don't expect most settlers to leave voluntarily.

Police are bracing for the possibility that resisters will unleash attack dogs on officers, build trenches, block roads with tree trunks and spikes, and hurl hot oil, paint and rocks from rooftops.

More extreme scenarios envision settlers firing weapons, detonating explosives and throwing firebombs or arming themselves with gas canisters.

Perhaps the most extreme of the scenarios has settlers barricading themselves inside buildings and threatening mass suicide in a Waco, Texas, type of siege, the newspaper said.

© 2005 The Associated Press

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