New cabinet is victory for Abbas
Palestinian parliament approves cabinet of mostly new faces unassociated with Arafat
RAMALLAH - The Palestinian parliament approved on Thursday a cabinet of mostly new faces unassociated with the corruption-plagued era of Yasser Arafat, signalling a commitment to reforms crucial to peacemaking.
Ratification of the 24-member cabinet, including 17 newcomers, was widely seen as a victory for change-minded Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas after days of political crisis ahead of a 25-nation meeting in London next week on Palestinian reform.
At least seven Arafat loyalists, including top Palestinian spokesman Saeb Erekat, were dropped from the original cabinet list proposed by Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia and technocrats were signed on to help the new government run more smoothly.
Israel and the United States have led international demands for an overhaul of the Palestinian Authority, especially consolidation of often rival security services to keep militants in check and end violence stalling peace efforts for four years.
Younger generation challenging Arafat loyalists
Abbas made reform a key part of his platform in the Jan. 9 presidential election, but his long-time rival Qureia presented a cabinet list packed with cronies of the iconic Arafat. Arafat's death on Nov. 11, however, has left his "old guard" more vulnerable to a younger generation in his dominant Fatah faction seeking reforms and a greater share of power.
Lawmakers' ratification of a cabinet was delayed three times this week. Ultimately, backroom arm-twisting by Abbas and pressure for change from Fatah legislators forced Qureia, himself an Arafat appointee, to bend. Failure to win parliamentary approval for a government would have forced Qureia's resignation.
Some familiar faces will remain around the cabinet table following parliament's approval of the new government by a vote of 54-12, with four abstentions.
Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath will become deputy prime minister and information minister and Finance Minister Salam Fayyad, a U.S. favourite for his efforts to make government finances more transparent, will continue in the post.
Nasser al-Kidwa, the Palestinians' U.N. representative and Arafat's nephew, takes over as foreign minister.
Nasser Yousef and Mohammed Dahlan, Abbas loyalists chosen to help him revamp the security services, agreed to join the new government, officials said.
