Deal reached on new Palestinian cabinet

[Darranar]

The central committee of Yasir Arafat's Fatah movement has reached an agreement on the formation of a new government.

"The Fatah central committee reached a compromise that was approved in a vote by the majority of its members," a source close to Arafat said, on condition of anonymity.

The deal, reached late on Friday, was the result of a compromise between Arafat and Prime Minister Ahmad Quraya, who had been at loggerheads over the appointment of a new interior minister.

Quraya has renounced efforts to persuade Arafat to accept his candidate for the post, General Nasser Yussuf, and the post will go to a close associate of Arafat, Hakam Balaawi, the source said.

Al Jazeera

[sushi]

1. I hope

Hanan Ashrawi is in it!

[bemildred]

2. Darn, this sounds familiar somehow.

[Darranar]

3. It does seem that this is a repeat of Mahmoud Abbas.

[bemildred]

4. It is a repeat of the outcome of the effort to move

Arafat aside in the formation of Mr. Abbas government.
But then why should the outcome be different this time?
If anything Arafat has been strengthened politically by
Jabba's policies, and from Arafat's point fo view, as best
I can infer it, everything is fine. He seemed to be a bit
nervous a few months back, but various things seems to have
improved his morale of late.

[Darranar]

5. Arafat needs to be moved aside...

however, the understandable loss of power for the prime minister resulting from such a shift (because of a lack of ties with Arafat and his forces) would need to be matched by Israeli concessions to increase his popular support and therefore his power.

Legitimately elected or not, Arafat is a problem.

On edit: The new PM is indeed falling into Abbas's trap. He's not willing to cozy up with Arafat, and because of that Arafat is, and will be, undermining him. Sharon will once again refuse to make real concessions until the actions that will only take place successfully once the concessions have happened happen (though that is likely to be a lie too), and hence nothing much will be accomplished. A lack of action will mean low approval ratings, so he will have no power from popular support, so under the pressure he will crack and likely resign like Abbas.

[bemildred]

6. We report, you decide.

Not taking any positions on what will or should happen tonight.