Palestinian prime minister steps down

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TEL AVIV -- Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia resigned yesterday in frustration over his helplessness in the face of unchecked anarchy in the Palestinian territories, evidenced by a wave of kidnappings in the Gaza Strip the previous day.

Yasser Arafat refused to accept the resignation at an emergency Cabinet meeting, fanning the flames of a political crisis over the breakdown of law and order that is eroding the credibility of the Palestinian government at home and abroad. As Israel plans to withdraw from the Gaza Strip next year, Mr. Qureia has been troubled by the growing lawlessness and the absence of reform of Palestinian security forces.

"This is a real disaster," said Mr. Qureia, reacting to the Gaza kidnappings.

The Palestinian Cabinet has scheduled a second emergency session for tomorrow to discuss the resignation, after ministers yesterday failed to convince Mr. Qureia, also known as Abu Ala, to reconsider his decision. If Mr. Qureia follows through on the resignation, it would force the resignation of the entire Cabinet.

The crisis began Friday when two top-ranking Palestinian police officers from Gaza and four French civilians were abducted in three incidents by unknown groups of gunmen disgruntled with the Palestinian Authority. The kidnappers released the captives within hours after the intervention of Palestinian government officials.

In a televised phone conversation, the freed French captives thanked Mr. Arafat for helping to secure their release.

In an effort to contain the unprecedented spasm of anarchy and defuse the political crisis, a state of emergency was declared in Gaza yesterday and Mr. Arafat made a round of security appointments.

But for the Palestinian prime minister, Friday's abductions were the last straw that ended weeks of stewing over the anarchy and the idea of resigning, officials said.

"He was not able to promote more effective law and order. He wasn't able to alleviate the suffering of the people," said Hassan Abu Libdeh, a senior Qureia aide. "He just felt he had exhausted his chance of making a difference, and it was time to move on."

If Mr. Qureia refuses to stay on, it could ratchet up growing international criticism of Mr. Arafat. In recent months, Arab leaders such as Jordan's King Abdullah have said the Palestinian leader should consider relinquishing governing authorities. This past week, Terje Larsen, the U.N. envoy to Israel and the Palestinian Authority, criticized Mr. Arafat for blocking reforms.

Yesterday, Mr. Arafat appointed Brig. Gen. Saeb El Ajez, commander of northern Gaza, to replace Ghazi Jabali, the Gaza police chief, who was abducted Friday by Palestinians who accused him of corruption. At the same time, he appointed a nephew, Mustafa Arafat, in place of Mohammed al-Hindi as head of intelligence.

Some see the abductions as evidence of a widening rift within Mr. Arafat's Fatah political party, with a younger generation of local field officers from the recent uprisings demanding more authority from the aging PLO generals who arrived in the Palestinian territories only a decade ago.

In Gaza, thousands of masked gunmen gathered outside of the Palestinian legislative building to protest the appointment of Mustafa Arafat. Suher Hamad, a 30-year-old Gaza resident, said Palestinians weren't convinced the new appointments would bring any real changes.

"Abu Ala has the right to resign. [Arafat] is repeating the same statements. It's all the same," he said.

Mr. Qureia is the second Palestinian prime minister in less than a year to step down in protest over the absence of domestic reform. In September, Mahmoud Abbas resigned from the post after months of behind-the-scenes bickering with Mr. Arafat over who would control the Palestinian security forces.

The United States, Europe and Israel pressed the Palestinians in 2003 to appoint a prime minister who would spearhead reforms and partially sideline Mr. Arafat. But the Palestinian leader has proven unwilling to relinquish much authority -- even to long-time political associates such as Mr. Qureia.

Senior Palestinian negotiator and Cabinet minister Saeb Erekat said Mr. Qureia's resignation would create a political vacuum during a sensitive period for the Palestinians. "It's the last thing that [Arafat] wants right now," he said.

Israeli officials were quick to hold up the crisis and the anarchy as a justification of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's refusal to negotiate a peace treaty with Mr. Arafat.

"This is the outcome of the anarchy that Arafat has intentionally subjected the Palestinians to," said Justice Minister Yosef "Tommy" Lapid in an interview with Israel's Channel 2 TV station. "It's all his responsibility."