GAZA, 11 September — The Palestinian Legislative Council postponed a vote of confidence in Yasser Arafat’s new Cabinet yesterday as the United States dismissed the Palestinian leader’s speech on Monday as nothing new. Arafat trimmed his Cabinet in June to streamline his security services and clean up corruption.
Before the PLC session resumed in the West Bank city of Ramallah, some lawmakers criticized the appointment of the new Cabinet as a revolving door of the same old faces. "There was no genuine change in the government," said Jamal Shati, a lawmaker from the West Bank city of Jenin who is also a member of Fatah. He said some of the ministers who lost portfolios remained on the payroll in other capacities.
Parliament Speaker Ahmed Korei said the PLC would meet again today, when its legal committee would decide whether legislators should vote to endorse the entire Cabinet or just vote on the new ministers.
Some politicians predicted an uphill battle to win approval.
Defeat in a no-confidence vote would deal a major blow to Arafat, who has kept a tight rein on power despite efforts by the United States and Israel to sideline him and growing calls from ordinary Palestinians to share his authority.
In Washington, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer told reporters: "Mr. Arafat’s speech is yet one more reason why the president is looking forward, not backward, when it comes to bringing reform to the institutions that the Palestinian people deserve so they can have a better future."
Fleischer said there was "nothing new in the speech and the president believes that the Palestinian people deserve a leader who represents a new day."
While shunning Arafat, Israel continued to pursue a dialogue with members of his Cabinet. Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres held talks in Jerusalem with a Palestinian delegation led by Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian peace negotiator.
