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Government at risk as Arafat battles PM

A Palestinian militant peers out from an alley corner to observe Israeli army positions as another pauses in the Yebna neighborhood, in the Rafah refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip, Saturday. Israel sent dozens of tanks and helicopter gunships into the refugee camp early Friday on a continuing operation Israeli military officials said was aimed at destroying tunnels Palestinians use to smuggle weapons from Egypt. PHOTO: AP

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat fought with his new prime minister over who should be the new Palestinian security chief, in a deepening dispute that threatens to bring down the government appointed less than a week ago.

In an argument with Arafat two days ago, Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia hinted he might step down, a possibility that appeared more likely as their fight continued into the night Saturday. As it stands, Qureia's Cabinet, which Arafat appointed by decree Oct. 5, will serve for one month as planned.

"We have a crisis but we are still trying to work it out," Palestinian Cabinet Minister Saeb Erekat said.

Meanwhile, battles continued for a second day Saturday in the Rafah refugee camp in Gaza, where Israeli troops were searching for weapons smuggling tunnels. One Palestinian was killed Saturday and local residents reported dozens of houses were destroyed.

Also on Saturday Israeli troops opened fire on three Palestinian militants who attempted to place an explosive device near the Jewish settlement of Morag in the Gaza Strip, the army said. It said one of the militants was killed.

The argument between Arafat and Qureia centered on the appointment of Nasser Yousef as interior minister, a position that would make him the head of the Palestinian security forces. Arafat's refusal to give up full control of those forces led Mahmoud Abbas to resign as prime minister last month after only four months.

Arafat, who named Yousef interior minister in an eight-member emergency Cabinet less than a week ago, withdrew his support for his longtime ally after Yousef refused to participate in a swearing-in of the Cabinet on Tuesday, Palestinian sources said Saturday.

Yousef said he wanted to wait until the government had parliamentary backing. Some saw that as a brazen slight to Arafat, who presided over the ceremony, and a signal of independence to US officials, who hoped to marginalize Arafat and convince the new Cabinet to crack down on militant groups, in line with the US-backed "road map" peace plan.

Qureia has said he would not use force to dismantle the militant groups.

The political troubles boiled over Thursday with the cancellation of the Palestinian legislature's vote on the emergency Cabinet -- which would have turned it into a normal government.

Some members of the legislature were also unhappy with the government's composition and did not want to legitimize a Cabinet that Arafat had appointed by decree.

Arafat's Fatah faction met on Saturday and the Palestinian leader said he wanted to replace Yousef with Hakam Balawi, a senior Fatah official, according to a Fatah official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Qureia said dumping Yousef now, just a week after he was named, would embarrass the government, the Fatah official said.
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