Egyptian intelligence chief helps resolve crisis; Dahlan to handle security
Haaretz, 4/24/03
A last minute intervention yesterday by Egypt's intelligence services chief Omar Suleiman ended more than a week of crisis in the Palestinian leadership struggle when Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat approved a government put together by prime minister designate Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen).
Israeli officials refused on-the-record comment about the deal, lest Abu Mazen be regarded as an American-Israeli puppet. The deal hammered out by Suleiman allows Abu Mazen to put Mohammed Dahlan in his government as a minister of state responsible for some of the security forces in the territories. Off the record, Israeli defense sources welcomed the Abu Mazen government, saying it was a step in the right direction, particularly since it includes Dahlan, a sworn opponent of the Hamas military wing.
Hamas railed against the deal, saying "now is not the time for appointing governments; now is the time for resistance." Earlier this month Abu Mazen met Hamas officials in Gaza and said he planned to disarm the military wings of the movement. He was told that first he should dismantle the Fatah's Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade.
The new government is to be presented to the Palestinian Legislative Council "in the near future," said Ahmed Qureia (Abu Ala), the PLC Speaker. The PA constitution, which the PLC approved earlier this year, stipulates that a new government must be presented within a week of its approval.
At face value it looks like Abu Mazen won the struggle with Arafat, because he was able to appoint Dahlan and Gen. Nasser Yusuf to his government, but there are unresolved critical issues regarding Arafat's authority and Abu Mazen's ability to operate independently.
Abu Mazen not talking
Up to last night Abu Mazen was not yet speaking to the media about his government or his plans. Dahlan is to be in charge of the Preventive Security forces in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as the police, but Arafat will retain command of the General Intelligence service and the National Security forces.
Abu Mazen will hold the Interior portfolio, the ministerial authority over the security services, with Nasser Yusuf in charge of its civilian functions. Hani al-Hassan, an Arafat associate and loyalist who has been interior minister, will remain in Arafat's service as his national security advisor.
Nabil Amr, whom Arafat opposed for the cabinet, will be minister of information, while Saeb Erekat and Yasser Abed Rabo, will apparently be ministers without portfolio involved in negotiating with Israel.
The Egyptian intervention came on the last day of the five week period Abu Mazen had been given to form a government. Arafat was under enormous pressure from the Europeans and Egyptians, acting as proxies for the Americans. They have insisted on the need for a prime minister to neutralize Arafat's comprehensive command of the PA leadership - a key Israeli demand for resuming talks with the Palestinians.
A week ago, he presented his planned cabinet appointments to Arafat and the Fatah central committee, sparking a furious controversy and angry dispute. Arafat hurled invective at his Number 2, and Abu Mazen stormed out of a meeting when he faced opposition from Fatah members.
Arafat's approval of the government means it is likely the PLC will approve the cabinet - but there might yet be further tussles over some of the appointments when the matter reaches the Palestinian parliament. The weeks it took Abu Mazen to form a coalition took some of the wind out of the sails of support he had in the PLC, especially since he wanted technocrats rather than Fatah politicians at the core of the government.
Furthermore, the obvious American interest in seeing Abu Mazen get his government - President Bush has said he is waiting for Abu Mazen's government in order to issue the road map - was not helpful to Abu Mazen, especially during the Iraq war, which was very unpopular with Palestinians.
From 12-14 ministers in the new government will be members of the outgoing government, and only 4-6 will be new faces. "The agreement is only the first battle in a long campaign over authority and positions," said one senior PA official.
Suleiman has been deeply involved for the past year in trying to win a disarmament agreement from the Palestinian armed factions and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has been pressing for the establishment of an Abu Mazen government.
Part of the deal forged yesterday includes an Egyptian guarantee of Arafat's position as president of the PA and his personal safety, plus a European promise to work for a lifting of the Israeli siege on him and his Ramallah offices in the Muqata compound.
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