RAMALLAH, 4 September 2003 — Palestinian Premier Mahmoud Abbas, fighting for his political life, challenged the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) yesterday to give him its full support to run the government without interference.
Abbas, locked in an increasingly acrimonious power struggle with President Yasser Arafat, who is seen to be undermining him, will make the demand today when he addresses the PLC on his first 100 days in office. Information Minister Nabil Amr stressed Abbas would not offer his resignation but would leave it up to the PLC to decide on the future of the government.
“Support from the PLC means we can continue with the duties with which we are entrusted. If we get this support, the government will continue,” he said.
The PLC, Amr said, had to make its decision on the basis of the basic law, which stipulates that the premier runs the country while the president only decrees the laws.
Observers said yesterday it was unclear how much support Abbas could expect when he issued his challenge.
Despite the backing he has internationally, Abbas has a low standing among his constituents, many of whom regard him as an American-imposed puppet. Arafat, on the other hand, is still seen as a hero, the symbol of Palestinian aspirations for statehood.
The most prominent aspect of the Abbas-Arafat dispute focuses on the Palestinian security forces. Abbas is demanding they be centralized under Security Affairs Minister Mohammed Dahlan but Arafat refuses to relinquish control of 60 percent of the force still under his command.
Arafat, in an off-camera interview with the Cable News Network, said Tuesday that the road map was dead. “The road map is dead, but only because of Israeli military aggression in recent weeks,” he said.
Arafat spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeinah backtracked yesterday, telling Voice of Palestine radio that “the Palestinian leadership is still committed to the road map, the cease-fire and to all signed agreements.”