Arafat evades parliament reforms

Yasser Arafat, pressed by his parliament to commit to promised reforms in writing, has largely been evasive, disappointed MPs said today, after two meetings with the Palestinian leader.

Arafat’s only concession so far is an assurance that his prime minister, Ahmed Qureia, can appoint Cabinet ministers, said the MPs. The MPs are members of a committee set up last month to write a reform plan, following growing chaos in the West Bank and Gaza.

Qureia briefly resigned last month to protest his lack of powers.

Arafat has refused to share power and has evaded reform demands by the international community, most recently Egypt which wants him to relinquish some control over the security services ahead of an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005.

However, he appears to have been shaken by growing dissatisfaction at home, including unrest in Gaza and open criticism of his rule.

Palestinian officials said that Arafat, sending a message through envoys, has offered Cabinet posts to two of his most outspoken critics, Mohammed Dahlan and Samir Mashrawi, who played a key role in last month’s protests in Gaza against Arafat’s appointment of a relative to a top security job there.

Dahlan is a former Gaza security chief and Mashrawi is a leader of the ruling Fatah movement in Gaza.

Arafat also agreed to meet with MPs to discuss reform demands.

The MPs want Arafat, whose formal title is Palestinian Authority President, to abide by the Basic Law, which spells out the separation of powers, sign anti-corruption legislation and commit to reform of the security services.

Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the committee, said that ”there are issues that President Arafat agreed to, others he is still reluctant to accept”.