Qureia agrees to be Palestinian premier

Palestinian parliament speaker Ahmed Qureia today accepted Yasser Arafat’s nomination to be prime minister, an official said.

Qureia still must be formally confirmed by the Palestinian parliament, which is expected to convene in coming days.

He was asked by Arafat to replace Mahmoud Abbas, who resigned after four turbulent months during which he repeated wrangled with Arafat over his authority and over Cabinet nominations.

Tonight, after meeting Qureia, Arafat told the executive committee of his Fatah Party that he had formally accepted the nomination, said the Palestinian official.

The official said political contacts were underway to ensure that the appointment would be confirmed by the Palestinian parliament, as required by law.

Earlier in the day, Qureia said that he would only accept the position if he had guarantees that Israel would comply with its obligations under the road map” peace plan.

Abbas had said Israel’s non-compliance, along with a lack of internal support, had made his job impossible.

Qureia warned today that if Israel did not stop killing militants in air strikes and lift more than a year and half of restrictions on Arafat’s movement, “there will be no need for a prime minister or a Palestinian government.”

The ruling Fatah party wants the new government to be formed quickly to prevent a vacuum in which Israel might take action against Arafat, Palestinian officials said. In response to Abbas’ resignation, several Israeli Cabinet ministers have renewed demands to expel Arafat.

It remains unclear if Israel will agree to deal with Qureia.

Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom told US Secretary of State Colin Powell in a phone call that the appointment of Qureia will not bring progress on the peace plan, as long as Arafat pulls the strings.

Shalom declined comment on Qureia’s nomination, but said Israel would hold a “strategic discussion” in coming days regarding Arafat.

Cabinet ministers will be asked to consider several options, including expelling Arafat, maintaining the current situation or completely isolating Arafat at his West Bank headquarters by preventing him from receiving visitors or making phone calls, a security official said.

“We will make decisions,” Shalom, an advocate of expulsion, said Monday.

The Israeli Cabinet has considered Arafat’s possible expulsion in the past, but has decided against it, both because of US opposition and because the government’s security advisers warned that sending Arafat abroad would cause more harm than keeping him confined to his headquarters.

Qureia, a moderate who helped cobble together the 1993 Oslo accord between Israel and the PLO, said he wants to improve the lives of Palestinians who have largely been confined to their communities by a network of Israeli military barriers during the past three years of fighting.

“I want to see what kind of change on the ground the Israelis will make, what kind of support from the United States in this regard I will get,” he said.

Qureia, who has skilfully manoeuvred between Arafat and reform-minded MPs in his seven years as parliament speaker, also said Israel must change its approach to the veteran leader.

“I want to see that the Israelis will change the way of dealing with Yasser Arafat, the elected president, because I cannot go without his support,” he said.

Qureia said he wants real support from the international community, “practical, not by words,” echoing Abbas’ complaints.

“I don’t want to see more military checkpoints. I don’t want to see assassination of Palestinians. I don’t want to see the demolishing of houses,” Qureia said, adding that he would try to negotiate a ceasefire with Israel.

Asked whether he would only accept the post if his demands were met, he said: “Yes, these are my conditions from all the parties who are concerned about the peace process.”

Qureia has long been the number three in the Fatah hierarchy, after Arafat and Abbas.

Seen as a moderate and a pragmatist, the 65-year-old is considered one of the few Palestinians who have credibility with Israel but also count on the important support of Arafat.