Arafat aide calls for unity after government quits

8.45am

RAMALLAH, West Bank - Yasser Arafat's top aide is appealing for political unity as the Palestinian president seeks to reassert his authority after his government resigned to avoid being ousted by parliament.

Arafat accepted the government's resignation yesterday to avoid the humiliation of it losing a confidence vote in parliament, but his inability to rally support in the assembly and his own Fatah movement dealt a heavy blow to his authority.

"All efforts now should focus on uniting ourselves and maintaining national unity in order to get rid of the (Israeli) occupation," Nabil Abu Rdainah, Arafat's top aide, told Reuters today.

Arafat, now embarrassed by his own parliament, dismissed as irrelevant by Israel and largely sidelined by the United States, has 14 days to form a government to serve until the presidential and legislative elections on January 20.

He faced criticism in the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), or parliament, this week over a cabinet reshuffle in June when he appointed five new ministers. Many lawmakers felt it did not address demands to end corruption and decentralise power.

Some legislators also want a prime minister appointed to take over the day-to-day running of the Palestinian Authority.

After consulting Arafat, the cabinet ministers agreed to resign, sidestepping a showdown over a confidence vote that Arafat was in danger of losing.

"It was obvious the government would not have passed (the confidence vote) yesterday," said Abdel-Karim Abu Salah, head of the PLC legal committee.

Polls still suggest Arafat, 73, will easily win in the January election.

"The people are angry but they don't want him to step aside. They want him to carry out the required changes," Palestinian lawmaker Ziad Abu Amr said.

"We hope the new government will include new young members whom the people can trust and who played a respected national role during these difficult circumstances," Abu Salah said.

He said the government must "be trusted by the people ... and able to handle the current political and security challenges".

Israeli politicians cautioned on Thursday against interfering.

"This argument (in parliament) is a definite sign of a democratic watershed. It is still in its infancy, and not yet established, but we hold out a lot of hope for the reforms," Foreign Minister Shimon Peres told Israel Radio from New York.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said: "Maybe this is just the beginning. More and more Palestinians understand that with terror they can achieve nothing."

Differences have emerged over Palestinian tactics in the revolt against occupation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Some groups said they had not approved a draft document which Fatah released this week, drawn up with European Union help, calling for an end to attacks on Israeli civilians.

US President George W. Bush called in June for a new Palestinian leadership uncompromised by "terrorism", making the creation of an independent Palestinian state conditional on sweeping democratic and other reforms and an end to violence.

Violence continued on Thursday in the Gaza Strip, where Israeli forces demolished eight homes. The army said one house belonged to Osama Helles, who died carrying out a shooting attack on the Jewish settlement of Gush Katif in which an Israeli woman was killed last year.

Israel has razed homes of militants and their relatives to try to deter attackers, and the statement called its action on Thursday an "important part" of the battle against terror.

At least 1540 Palestinians and 591 Israelis have been killed since the uprising against Israeli occupation started in 2000 after peace talks stalled.

- REUTERS

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