RAMALLAH, West Bank, 6 October 2003 — President Yasser Arafat, facing an Israeli threat to “remove” him after Saturday’s Palestinian bombing, yesterday declared a state of emergency in Palestinian areas, his office said.
Arafat also installed a seven-member emergency Cabinet, with Ahmed Qorei as prime minister.
Arafat’s special decree meant that Qorei took office as prime minister, effective yesterday. Qorei, who had been tapped for the job last month, had initially planned to present a larger Cabinet to Parliament for approval on Wednesday, after weeks of consultations.
“Taking into consideration the difficult situation of the Palestinian people and the necessities imposed by the situation, President Arafat issued a presidential decree by which he declared a state of emergency... and formed an emergency government headed by me,” Qorei told The Associated Press.
Qorei said three portfolios had been assigned: Nabil Shaath as foreign minister, Salam Fayad as finance minister and Nasser Yousef as interior minister. He listed the other four members of the Cabinet as Saeb Erekat, Nabil Abul Hummus, Jamal Shobaki and Abdel Rahman Hamad, and said they would be given their assignments later.
Yesterday foreign and Israeli peace activists formed a human shield around Arafat as Israel warned the clock was ticking toward the Palestinian leader’s removal. Eight activists from Israel and around 20 more from the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) had gathered at Arafat’s offices in the West Bank town of Ramallah, pledging to defend the veteran leader come what may.
Israeli activist Uri Avnery, from the radical pacifist movement Gush Shalom, said that the group was under no illusions about the Israeli intentions after its recent decision to “remove” Arafat, with one minister suggesting that his assassination was an option.
“We came here because we realized the suicide bombing in Haifa with its many casualties would provide an ideal pretext for (Israeli Prime Minister) Ariel Sharon to do what he wants to do for a long time — to kill Arafat,” Avnery told AFP.
“We rushed here from Gush Shalom to provide a human shield and perhaps be able to prevent the Israeli Army from executing its plans.
“We will stay here as long as we feel there is a danger,” he added.
Among the ISM activists were US, Canadian and Italian nationals.
Israel ruled out an immediate move against Arafat yesterday after Saturday’s bombing at a restaurant in Haifa which left 19 people dead as well as the female Islamic Jihad bomber.
“When the time comes he will be expelled. The clock is already ticking,” a senior Israeli official told AFP.
Health Minister Dany Naveh said in the immediate aftermath of Saturday’s attack that Israel should follow through with its removal decision. But Education Minister Limor Livnat said yesterday that Israel should impose a “watertight closure” around Arafat’s offices where he has been confined for some 22 months.
In Cairo, President Hosni Mubarak spelled out Egypt’s line on key regional issues, rejecting Israeli retaliation against Arafat and demanding a swift transfer of power to the Iraqis.
