After having appointed his Fatah crony Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) as the putative prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, PLO chief Yasser Arafat is on the verge of blocking his own appointee's progress. In fact, reports from within the PA indicate that Arafat is seeking an alternative to Abu Mazen, the result of serious disagreements between the two regarding cabinet appointments. Abbas, for his part, has reiterated a threat to resign if not allowed to present his cabinet tomorrow night, as planned.
Abu Mazen wants to appoint former PA security chief Mohammed Dahlan to a senior position, an appointment to which Arafat objects. And Arafat insists on including his own loyalists in the proposed PA cabinet, while Abu Mazen is unwilling to comply with Arafat's demands. The US and EU, meanwhile, have weighed in on the side of Abu Mazen, pressuring Arafat not to interfere in his cabinet appointments. Quartet members, fearful of having their plans for a Palestinian state headed by Abbas scuttled, are attempting to smooth over the two leader's differences.
Saeb Erekat, an Arafat loyalist, has turned his focus on Israel, sending a message warning Jewish leaders from becoming involved in the PA's internal politics. Another senior PA leader, Nabil Sha'ath, said today that Abu Mazen has killed his chances of presenting a cabinet, so long as he opposes PLO leader Yasser Arafat's conditions for doing so. Sha'ath said that relations between Abu Mazen and Arafat, co-founders of the Fatah terrorist group, are in "deep crisis".
Abu Mazen wants to appoint former PA security chief Mohammed Dahlan to a senior position, an appointment to which Arafat objects. And Arafat insists on including his own loyalists in the proposed PA cabinet, while Abu Mazen is unwilling to comply with Arafat's demands. The US and EU, meanwhile, have weighed in on the side of Abu Mazen, pressuring Arafat not to interfere in his cabinet appointments. Quartet members, fearful of having their plans for a Palestinian state headed by Abbas scuttled, are attempting to smooth over the two leader's differences.
Saeb Erekat, an Arafat loyalist, has turned his focus on Israel, sending a message warning Jewish leaders from becoming involved in the PA's internal politics. Another senior PA leader, Nabil Sha'ath, said today that Abu Mazen has killed his chances of presenting a cabinet, so long as he opposes PLO leader Yasser Arafat's conditions for doing so. Sha'ath said that relations between Abu Mazen and Arafat, co-founders of the Fatah terrorist group, are in "deep crisis".