It's been a year already that Israeli officials - followed shortly after by others in the U.S. and even in the PA - have been talking about the need for reforms in the Palestinian Authority leadership, and there is still no new government. Yasser Arafat has rejected a new Cabinet proposed by his own Prime Ministerial appointee, Abu Mazen.
Abu Mazen presented his list of ministers at a Fatah Central Committee meeting on Sunday night in Ramallah, but Arafat refused to accept it. The PLO chairman, known to many as the father of modern-day terrorism, objected to the placement of so many of his political enemies in high positions. Most notably, Muhammad Dahlan was promoted to a newly formed post giving him most of the powers of an Interior Minister, while Arafat-supporters such as Saeb Erekat, Yasser Abed Rabbo and others were relegated to lower-lever roles. Erekat and Abed Rabbo are not even certain to accept their appointments.
In addition, appointees Hikmat Zayad and Saad Al-Karones have elicited objections because of their reputation for corruption. Arutz-7's Yosef Zalmanson notes that Nabil Amar, appointed by Abu Mazen as Information Minister, was one of the very first within the PA to call for a change; he resigned his post last May when Arafat rejected his demand for "deep reforms" in the Cabinet and the PA's security organs.
U.S. President George Bush has said that he would publicize the Road Map plan - calling for a temporary PA state as early as this year - as soon as Abu Mazen announces his new government. Israel has submitted a list of 14 or 15 "reservations" against the Road Map, but American spokesmen have said that they will be considered only after the plan is publicized.
Abu Mazen presented his list of ministers at a Fatah Central Committee meeting on Sunday night in Ramallah, but Arafat refused to accept it. The PLO chairman, known to many as the father of modern-day terrorism, objected to the placement of so many of his political enemies in high positions. Most notably, Muhammad Dahlan was promoted to a newly formed post giving him most of the powers of an Interior Minister, while Arafat-supporters such as Saeb Erekat, Yasser Abed Rabbo and others were relegated to lower-lever roles. Erekat and Abed Rabbo are not even certain to accept their appointments.
In addition, appointees Hikmat Zayad and Saad Al-Karones have elicited objections because of their reputation for corruption. Arutz-7's Yosef Zalmanson notes that Nabil Amar, appointed by Abu Mazen as Information Minister, was one of the very first within the PA to call for a change; he resigned his post last May when Arafat rejected his demand for "deep reforms" in the Cabinet and the PA's security organs.
U.S. President George Bush has said that he would publicize the Road Map plan - calling for a temporary PA state as early as this year - as soon as Abu Mazen announces his new government. Israel has submitted a list of 14 or 15 "reservations" against the Road Map, but American spokesmen have said that they will be considered only after the plan is publicized.