Arafat refuses to sign anti-corruption orders

Yasser Arafat has held a “stormy and tense meeting” with reformers in his parliament, refusing to sign anti-corruption legislation and follow through on a speech in which he pledged to carry out comprehensive reforms, an MP said.

The 14-member parliamentary committee met Arafat, hoping the veteran Palestinian leader would agree to sign reform legislation.

Hours earlier, Arafat had made a speech admitting he had made “mistakes” and that he and others were guilty of “unacceptable practices”.

But Arafat’s speech offered no details on how he plans to repair the corruption-plagued Palestinian Authority and fight growing lawlessness in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Azmi Shouabi, who attended the meeting with Arafat, described the atmosphere as “stormy and tense”.

“President Arafat refused to sign the presidential decrees that we had asked him to sign and considered that his speech to the council yesterday was enough and that there is no need for any signatures,” Shouabi said.

Arafat has been under intense local and international pressure to reform his government, but has repeatedly balked.

Growing lawlessness in the West Bank and Gaza and discontent with the Palestinian Authority pushed him to make yesterday’s speech.