President Yasser Arafat informed the EU Peace Envoy Miguel Morathinos and the UN Envoy Terje Larsen yesterday evening that he intends to declare the new Palestinian government today, Wednesday, and that it will be presented to the PLC next Monday. The issue was confirmed yesterday morning in the meeting of Fatah Central Committee in which they discussed the new formation. Dr. Nabil Shaath, Planning and International Cooperation Minister and a member in Fatah Central Committee, said the committee agreed unanimously on the new formation. He said: The members of Fatah Central Committee accepted the new government which will consist of 19 ministers. Meanwhile, PLC Speaker Ahmad Qrei' announced that President Arafat informed him officially that he ended his task in forming the new government and requested a PLC session to discuss the statement of the government and get the vote of confidence from the PLC. Qrei' told reporters following Fatah Central Committee meeting that he will hold contacts to set up a date for holding a session next week and that the session might take place next Monday or Tuesday with full members attending the session either in Ramallah or in Gaza. Qrei' affirmed that President Arafat will personally present the government to the PLC and will deliver a speech to the Palestinian people on that occasion. Qrei' said that Arafat will appeal in his speech to the international community and the friendly countries to interfere urgently and exert pressure on Israel to stop the aggressions against the Palestinian people. Qrei' called on the Israeli government to facilitate holding the session of the PLC and allow all members to attend it, stressing that there are efforts by international parties to facilitate the movement of the PLC members. Al-Ayyam newspaper said President Arafat would hold in the next few days and until the next PLC session a series of meetings with PLC members in an attempt to convince them to grant the vote of confidence since some members hinted that they might not grant the vote of confidence. The PLC Speaker added: President Arafat informed me that he concluded the formation of the new government and he believes that this formation is capable to execute the tasks in the next phase which he outlined as follows: preparing for the Palestinian elections; proceeding in the reform process; ending the Israeli occupation and taking care of the interests of the Palestinian people and alleviating the suffering of the masses. Qrei' said there wont be any meeting through videoconferencing and that President Arafat wants to be with all members of the PLC in that session and if the session is held in Gaza, President Arafat will travel to Gaza and attend the session and return immediately to Ramallah. He said that he started yesterday contacts with the UN and the EU for the sake of securing a PLC session with full members attending. Qrei' said it is expected that at least 14 ministers will keep their portfolios: Salam Fayyad (Finance Ministry), Yasser Abed Rabbo (Culture and Information), Nabil Shaath (Planning and International Cooperation), Saeb Erekat (Local Government), Maher Masri (Economy), Ghassan al-Khatib (Labor), Abdul Aziz Shaheen (Supplies), Intisar al-Wazir (Social Affairs), Abdul Rahman Hamad (Energy), Azzam Al-Ahmad (Public Works and Housing), Rafiq Natsheh (Agriculture), Mitri Abu Eitah (Transportation), Nabil Qassis (Tourism), Naim Abul Houmos (Education). Five new faces will enter the government: Hani Al-Hasan who will assume the Ministry of Interior in place of Abdul Razzaq al-Yahia; Dr. Ahmad Al-Shibi who will assume the Ministry of Health in place of Riyad Za'noun; Zuheir Sourani who will assume the Ministry of Justice in place of Ibrahim Dughmeh; Hisham Abdul Razeq who will assume the Ministry of Prisoners and Detainees; and Samir Ghosheh, member of the PLO Executive Committee, who will represent the Popular Struggle Front in the government. Thus, the ministers who will be leaving the government are Abdul Razzaq al-Yahia; Jamil Tarifi, who was the Minister of Civil Affairs and this Ministry will be transferred into a commission; Ali Qawasmi who was Minister of Sports and Youth; Imad Falouji who was Minister of Telecommunications; Ibrahim Dughmeh who was Minister of Justice and Riyad Za'noun who was Minister of Health and who asked to be discharged.
The following is a semi-final version of the new government which is expected to be presented to the PLC next week:
1- Yasser Abed Rabbo - Minister of Culture and Information.
2- Nabil Shaath - Minister of Planning and International Cooperation.
3- Hani al-Hasan - Minister of Interior. (New)
4- Salam Fayyad - Minister of Finance.
5- Zuheir Sourani - Minister of Justice. (New)
6- Naim Abul Houmos - Minister of Education and Higher Education.
7- Maher al-Masri - Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.
8- Saeb Erekat - Minister of Local Government.
9- Rafiq Natsheh - Minister of Agriculture.
10- Abdul Rahman Hamad - Minister of Energy.
11- Azzam al-Ahmad - Minister of Public Works and Housing.
12- Nabil Qassis - Minister of Tourism.
13- Intisar al-Wazir - Minister of Social Affairs.
14- Abdul Aziz Shahin - Minister of Supplies.
15- Hisham Abdul Razeq - Minister of Prisoners Affairs.
16- Ghassan al-Khatib - Minister of Labor.
17- Mitri Abu Eitah - Minister of Transportation.
18- Dr. Ahmad al-Shibi - Minister of Health. (New)
19- Dr. Samir Ghosheh - Representative of the Popular Struggle Front in the government. (New).
Published in Al-Ayyam newspaper - Oct. 23, 2002.
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