Arafat appoints emergency cabinet

Yasser Arafat installed a seven-member emergency cabinet with Ahmed Qureia as prime minister, in an apparent move to deflect possible Israeli action against him following a suicide bombing a day earlier.

Mr Arafat’s special decree yesterday meant that Mr Qureia took office as prime minister immediately.

Mr Qureia, who had been tipped for the job last month, had initially planned to present a larger cabinet to parliament for approval on Wednesday, after weeks of consultations.

“Taking into consideration the difficult situation of the Palestinian people and the necessities imposed by the situation, President Arafat issued a presidential decree by which he declared a state of emergency ... and formed an emergency government headed by me,” Mr Qureia told The Associated Press news agency.

He said three portfolios had been assigned: Nabil Shaath as foreign minister, Salam Fayad as finance minister and Nasser Yousef as interior minister.

He listed the other four members of the cabinet as Saeb Erekat, Nabil Abul Hummus, Jamal Shobaki and Abdel Rahman Hamad, and said they would be given their assignments later.