RAMALLAH, 5 September 2003 — Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas yesterday said he must be given full power to carry out reforms if a plan for peace with Israel is to succeed. In an address to the Palestinian Legislative Council (Parliament) on completing 100 days in office as prime minister, Abbas asked members to either support him or strip him of his post, saying infighting is keeping him from making progress on the road map.
Abbas stopped short of seeking a vote of confidence but said he is leaving his future in the hands of Parliament.
“I am not attached to this post and I am not (making) and will not make any effort to keep this post. It is a difficult mission that many describe as impossible,” Abbas told legislators.
Parliament scheduled a closed-door session for Saturday to discuss his speech, after which legislators were to decide whether to hold a confidence vote. A vote, if called, would likely be held next week.
But as Arafat supporters staged anti-Abbas protests in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, parliamentary Speaker Ahmed Qorei said 15 out of the 85 lawmakers had filed a petition asking for such a vote.
Abbas avoided a showdown with Arafat as he called for a healing of divisions with the veteran leader and an end to the cycle of violence which has stalled the Middle East peace process. Abbas, who was installed in his post after the United States refused to talk to Arafat, urged Washington to end its boycott of the man he described as “the constitutional and legitimate president” of the Palestinian people.
He also said it was time for “healing the dispute between the government and the (Arafat) presidency” with the one-time allies embroiled in a bitter struggle for power.
Rather than making a direct appeal to deputies for support in the battle, Abbas instead turned his sights on Israel, laying the blame at its door for the crisis which has hit the peace process.
“I don’t believe there’s anybody in the world who doesn’t share my opinion that it is the Israeli side which takes the responsibility for where we are today,” he said.
Abbas also announced that he was reappointing close Arafat ally Saeb Erekat as chief negotiations minister, a post he resigned just three months ago. Erekat had previously led Palestinian teams in negotiations with Israel before the September 2000 outbreak of the intifada.
Abbas has minimal support among Palestinians, many of whom say they distrust him because he has Israeli and US backing.
