To: LindyBill who wrote (80773 ) 3/9/2003 6:07:42 PM From: Nadine Carroll Respond to debka reports that although Arafat may have been forced to name his long-time deputy Abu Mazen, whom he is now at odds with over the intifada, as PA prime minister, he is still fighting with all his might against giving him any real power - and winning. But then again, the Israelis are now very very close to deporting Arafat. Interestingly, debka thinks that Arafat is really siding with Saddam again , but that Abu Mazen knows that Arafat is delusional.The showdown between Arafat and Abu Mazen over the division of authority between them is the focus of heated deliberations in these labyrinthine institutions. But a senior Palestinian source reported to DEBKAfile that at this stage, Abu Mazen has been neatly outmaneuvered. The nominee insists that without real powers, he will not take the job. He is demanding authority to lead any negotiations with Israel and choose his ministers. He is thinking in terms of a cabinet of apolitical technocrats and he hopes for majority backing at the Legislative Council meeting on Monday, March 10. However, on the way to the Council meeting, our Palestinian source reports a decision rammed through by Arafat’s backers leaving him in full command of all Palestinian security and police organizations. Any authority conferred on Abu Mazen to negotiate with Israel or achieve a ceasefire is valueless as long as the power to halt Palestinian terror is out of his hands. debka.com DEBKA-Net-Weekly’s Ankara sources quote prime minister Abdullah Gul as informing confidants that he has agreed to step down and serve as deputy prime minister and foreign minister in the Erdogan government. It is all settled between them. http://www.debka.com/article.php?aid=343
