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NEWS: PA to announce composition of new cabinet

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posted on Feb, 16 2005 @ 05:44 AM
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A new government led by the current prime minister Ahmed Qureia will be announced today. Eight new ministers were expected to be appointed while there would be other changes of portfolios. Qureia and Abbas have been trying to stitch together a cabinet ever since the January 9 election to replace Arafat as Palestinian Authority president.

 



www.haaretz.com
According to initial reports two of the major cabinet changes will the appointment of General Nasser Yusuf as minister of internal security, who will consequently be in charge of most of the security forces.

A second key appointment will be of Nasser al-Qidwa, former PLO envoy to the United Nations and Yasser Arafat?s nephew, who is slated to be named foreign minister.



Please visit the link provided for the complete story.


It still remains unclear if key figures in the PA, such as Mohammed Dahlan, Abbas's former security minister, a powerful figure in the Gaza Strip, or Abbas's former information minister, Nabil Amr (the one who had to have his leg amputated last year after being shot by unknown gunmen shortly after giving an interview critical of Arafat) will be given any cabinet portfolios.


Related News Links:
www.ipc.gov.ps

[edit on 16-2-2005 by Riwka]



posted on Feb, 24 2005 @ 07:15 AM
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After Qureia had failed to muster a support for a majority vote for his new government, the Palestinian parliament approved a new government today. Qureia had to drop seven Arafat loyalists, including top Palestinian spokesman Saeb Erekat.

The crisis strengthened Abbas and weakened Qureia, who may not survive as prime minister beyond parliamentary elections in July.

With 17 newcomers, the new government appeared to suit PA Chairman Abbas' political needs as he faced a 25-nation meeting on Palestinian reform next week in London.

Two of Abbas loyalists chosen to help him clean up the Palestinian Authority, Nasser Yousef and Mohammed Dahlan, joined the new government.



The names were chosen in Wednesday's meeting between Abbas and Fatah legislators, said Abbas Zaki, a top Fatah official. "We had about 100 names of top professionals, and we chose them one-by-one, not through voting, but by consensus, as the best to handle these posts," he said.

The method stood in stark contrast to the formation of Cabinets in the Arafat era, when he would choose the ministers based on loyalty.

"It's a turning point in the rationale, the approach and the methodology of forming Cabinets, in going beyond political patronage ... and to look for people who can deliver," said legislator Hanan Ashrawi. (Jerusalem Post)


Following is a list of the new Palestinian cabinet ministers:

  1. Nabil Sha'ath - Deputy Prime Minister and Information Minister
  2. Salam Fayyad - Finance Minister
  3. Nasser al-Kidwa - Foreign Minister
  4. Nasser Yousef - Interior Minister
  5. Walid Abed Rabbo - Agriculture Minister
  6. Farid al-Jallad - Justice Minister
  7. Mohammed Ishtayyeh - Public Works and Housing Minister
  8. Thihni al-Wiheideh - Health Minister
  9. Hind Khouri - Minister of State
  10. Yehya Yakhlof - Culture Minister
  11. Hassan Abu Libdeh - Labour and Social Affairs Minister
  12. Mohammed Dahlan - Civil Affairs Minister
  13. Sabri Seidam - Telecommunications Minister
  14. Sofian Abu Zaydeh - Prisoner Affairs Minister
  15. Saad al-Deen Khorma - Local Government Minister
  16. Zahira Kamal - Women's Affairs Minister
  17. Sakher Bseiso - Youth and Sport Minister
  18. Mazen Sonnoqrot - Economy Minister
  19. Ahmad Majdalani - Minister Without Portfolio
  20. Khaled al-Qawasmeh - Minister Without Portfolio
  21. Naim Abu el-Humos - Education Minister
  22. Ghassan al-Khatib - Planning Minister
  23. Ziyad Bandak - Tourism Minister


    Virtually all the new ministers are experts in the field they are to oversee, including 10 with doctorates, a medical doctor, a lawyer, several engineers and several with master's degrees.


    Rebekka



posted on Feb, 25 2005 @ 07:30 AM
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The new cabinet is dominated by academics and technocrats - the first time that ministers were not appointed on the basis of their loyalty to Arafat.

It is a warning to the Fatah old guard that the rules of the game have changed.

Daoud Kuttab
(director of the Institute of Modern Media at Al Quds University in Ramallah / Westbank):



The more powerful idea was that the new government must reflect the changes in the Palestinian public which were reflected in Abbas' election.

Much of the opposition to Prime Minister Qureia's initial cabinet recommendations involved an indirect attack against Qurei for his failure, over the past two years, to enact any serious reform in the running of the Palestinian government.

In the end, the powerful Fatah bloc in the Palestinian Legislative Council agreed that Qurei should stay for the time being while they wanted to weaken him.

Arabic Media Internet Network: The time for reform in Palestine has arrived


Rebekka



 
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