Yasser Arafat, father of modern-day terrorism, announced today that he is now willing to appoint a Prime Minister - alongside him, not instead of him. The surprise announcement came after representatives of the Quartet - the U.S., U.N, Russia, and European Union - exerted great pressures upon Arafat, particularly over the past few days. United States officials have been demanding "reforms" in the Palestinian Authority for close to a year.
Arafat emerged this morning from his Ramallah office, where he has been holed up since the end of 2001, to say that he would convene the PA legislative bodies to approve the appointment of a new Prime Minister. He did not say, however, when this would happen, nor did he specify when the Prime Minister would be appointed - leading many to assume that he was engaged in yet another stalling tactic.
Two names are being mentioned for the post of PA Prime Minister: the PA's new Finance Minister, Salim Fiad, who is the Quartet's preferred choice, and Arafat-deputy Abu Mazen. Some analysts said, however, that Arafat might appoint someone else - someone from within Fatah and with closer ties to the current PLO leader, in order to enable Arafat to continue to run things.
The Quartet demands that the new Prime Minister be authorized to wage negotiations with Israel on behalf of the PA, as well as be granted full control over the PA's military bodies.
Israel reacted cautiously. Shimon Peres said that the announcement was a "step in the right direction," and that what is needed is someone who can control the "armed bodies and with whom we can negotiate." Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert said that he welcomes Arafat's promise, though he noted that Arafat was to have appointed someone instead of him, not alongside him. "We've had plenty of experience with Arafat before... We must have patience to carefully study the matter," Olmert said. Other officials said that it remains to be seen if the Prime Minister will be independent, or merely an Arafat-puppet.
Arafat emerged this morning from his Ramallah office, where he has been holed up since the end of 2001, to say that he would convene the PA legislative bodies to approve the appointment of a new Prime Minister. He did not say, however, when this would happen, nor did he specify when the Prime Minister would be appointed - leading many to assume that he was engaged in yet another stalling tactic.
Two names are being mentioned for the post of PA Prime Minister: the PA's new Finance Minister, Salim Fiad, who is the Quartet's preferred choice, and Arafat-deputy Abu Mazen. Some analysts said, however, that Arafat might appoint someone else - someone from within Fatah and with closer ties to the current PLO leader, in order to enable Arafat to continue to run things.
The Quartet demands that the new Prime Minister be authorized to wage negotiations with Israel on behalf of the PA, as well as be granted full control over the PA's military bodies.
Israel reacted cautiously. Shimon Peres said that the announcement was a "step in the right direction," and that what is needed is someone who can control the "armed bodies and with whom we can negotiate." Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert said that he welcomes Arafat's promise, though he noted that Arafat was to have appointed someone instead of him, not alongside him. "We've had plenty of experience with Arafat before... We must have patience to carefully study the matter," Olmert said. Other officials said that it remains to be seen if the Prime Minister will be independent, or merely an Arafat-puppet.