Ahmed Qurei, prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, has submitted his resignation to Yasser Arafat, in light of the anarchic situation in Gaza. Other leading PA figures have also resigned, including the commander of the PA navy just this afternoon, because of Arafat's appointment of his nephew as the commander of security forces in Gaza.
Qurei, known as Abu Ala, met with Arafat yesterday and told him, "The current situation is anarchy and a true security catastrophe the likes of which we have never seen, and I cannot continue in this manner." He also told top PA officials that all attempts to solve the problem of the anarchy had failed.
Arafat has not accepted Qurei's resignation, nor those of two other security officials in Gaza. As a condition for his remaining in the job, Qurei demands the appointment of an interior minister, the unification of several security mechanisms - a demand that has long been made of Arafat by international bodies as well - and the speeding up of other reforms. Qurei will announce tomorrow whether his demands have been met and whether his resignation is final.
In response to the developments, Yasser Arafat announced yesterday the appointment of his nephew, Mussa Arafat, as head of the police in Gaza. Thousands of Arabs in Gaza, as well as a smaller amount in the Shomron, demonstrated against the appointment last night. They chanted that Arafat had replaced one corrupt figure - Razi Ghabali - with another corrupt one, and had thus insulted the intelligence of the PA public. Ghabali himself was abducted by gangs on Friday, but was released three hours later.
Several other people have been abducted by street gangs in Gaza in the past few days. Among them was Col. Haled Abu el-Ala, head of the police in southern Gaza, who was released shortly afterwards by men he had recently fired. Four French citizens were also kidnapped and released over the weekend. Israel has forbidden any entry into Gaza because of the dangerous situation, and the PA has declared a state of emergency.
Armed Arabs last night attacked and burned down a southern Gaza PA security watch post in Khan Yunis. The post was manned by men loyal to Arafat's new appointment, Mussa Arafat, who were forced to flee when the attackers set fire to the post.
Israeli security officials were recently quoting to the effect that the Palestinian Authority would not survive Israel's unilateral withdrawal from Gaza, which would leave a power vacuum in its wake.
Qurei, known as Abu Ala, met with Arafat yesterday and told him, "The current situation is anarchy and a true security catastrophe the likes of which we have never seen, and I cannot continue in this manner." He also told top PA officials that all attempts to solve the problem of the anarchy had failed.
Arafat has not accepted Qurei's resignation, nor those of two other security officials in Gaza. As a condition for his remaining in the job, Qurei demands the appointment of an interior minister, the unification of several security mechanisms - a demand that has long been made of Arafat by international bodies as well - and the speeding up of other reforms. Qurei will announce tomorrow whether his demands have been met and whether his resignation is final.
In response to the developments, Yasser Arafat announced yesterday the appointment of his nephew, Mussa Arafat, as head of the police in Gaza. Thousands of Arabs in Gaza, as well as a smaller amount in the Shomron, demonstrated against the appointment last night. They chanted that Arafat had replaced one corrupt figure - Razi Ghabali - with another corrupt one, and had thus insulted the intelligence of the PA public. Ghabali himself was abducted by gangs on Friday, but was released three hours later.
Several other people have been abducted by street gangs in Gaza in the past few days. Among them was Col. Haled Abu el-Ala, head of the police in southern Gaza, who was released shortly afterwards by men he had recently fired. Four French citizens were also kidnapped and released over the weekend. Israel has forbidden any entry into Gaza because of the dangerous situation, and the PA has declared a state of emergency.
Armed Arabs last night attacked and burned down a southern Gaza PA security watch post in Khan Yunis. The post was manned by men loyal to Arafat's new appointment, Mussa Arafat, who were forced to flee when the attackers set fire to the post.
Israeli security officials were recently quoting to the effect that the Palestinian Authority would not survive Israel's unilateral withdrawal from Gaza, which would leave a power vacuum in its wake.