Palestinian PM refused to withdraw resignation

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia refused to withdraw his resignation letter today, and called on Yasser Arafat to “appoint the right men to the right posts” in the security branches.

Speaking after a meeting of his Cabinet, Qureia said the dispute with Arafat over his resignation remained unresolved.

“I have not received a written response,” Qureia said in Ramallah, indicating that he did not accept Arafat’s verbal rejection of his resignation as final.

He said he wanted to resign because of “the state of chaos and loss of control over the security situation” in the Gaza Strip, which he said was only benefiting the Palestinians’ enemies in Israel.

Qureia said a Cabinet committee would leave for Gaza later today to meet Palestinian factions “so we can rise above the conflict”.

Qureia spoke after Arafat announced a series of security appointments over the weekend, including naming his cousin and long-time aide Moussa Arafat to a top position in the Gaza Strip.

The appointment was met with widespread protests, since Moussa Arafat is strongly identified with what many Palestinians consider the corruption rampant in the established leadership.

Backing down today, Arafat replaced his cousin and asked the former security chief to return to his job.

The Palestinian leader phoned Brigadier General Abdel Razek Majaide and asked him to return to the office he left last week at Arafat’s request, said Nabil Abu Rdeneh, a senior Arafat adviser.

Arafat took the decision to calm the anger that has spilled into the streets of Gaza over the appointment of Moussa Arafat, Rdeneh said.

Opponents claimed the appointment perpetuated a system of corruption and cronyism endemic among the Palestinian leadership.

But Moussa Arafat retained a senior security post in Gaza, subordinate to Majaide who has overall authority in both Gaza and the West Bank, the officials said.

Palestinian gunmen last night stormed an intelligence office in one Gaza refugee camp and marched through another, protesting at Moussa Arafat’s appointment.

But in Gaza City today, hundreds of his supporters marched through the streets, some firing assault rifles into the air – raising the possibility of a violent conflict over the appointment.

“We will protect you by our soul and our blood, our hero Abu Amr,” the demonstrators chanted, referring to Yasser Arafat.

The turmoil in Gaza was a grave challenge for Arafat and highlighted sharp rifts between the veteran Palestinian leader and the Cabinet that is supposed to be running the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

In the Rafah refugee camp late last night, gunmen exchanged fire with guards at security headquarters and attempted to break into the complex with a bulldozer.

The guards wounded three attackers, but there were no casualties among the security forces, staff at the building said.