From today's Jerusalem Post:
US says it won't deal with 'Arafat cabinet'
By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
The US has warned the Palestinian Authority that it will not deal with a new cabinet controlled by Chairman Yasser Arafat and that is not committed to the implementation of the road map.
The warning was delivered by US special envoy John Wolf to PA Prime Minister-designate Ahmed Qurei (Abu Ala), who is expected to announce his cabinet sometime next week.
PA officials said Washington also made it clear that its policy on Arafat remains unchanged and that he is not a partner to any peace talks.
Right on! So they got the message, loud and clear. There's no question. Their response?
"The Americans insist on boycotting President Arafat," said a top PA official in Ramallah. "They are making a big mistake if they believe that things could move without the president."
Another official accused the US of succumbing to "Israeli and Jewish pressure" to maintain the boycott against Arafat.
"[President George W.] Bush should be a member of the Likud Party, not president of the US," he said. "It's clear now that Bush is backing [Prime Minister Ariel] Sharon on every single decision he makes."
Hatem Abdel Kader, a senior Fatah official, said the new cabinet is being chosen in full coordination with Arafat. "We don't want a cabinet that would engage in a power struggle with President Arafat," he said. "It's not the job of the cabinet to undercut Arafat's authority."
Fatah scored a major victory on Thursday when Arafat and Qurei agreed to the appointment of 16 of its members as ministers in the 24-member cabinet. The two had given the Fatah central committee a free hand in selecting its own nominees for the posts.
One Fatah official boasted that this is the "first Fatah government."
He noted, however, that the new cabinet would be "under Arafat's full control... and this should be clear to all."
It's pretty clear to me. How about you, Mr. President? How about you, Mr. Powell? Dr. Rice? Are we done yet?
Abu Ala doesn't seem to think so.
Qurei said that, as soon as he takes office, he plans to call on Israel to start negotiations in an attempt to reach a new cease-fire. "We want to pave the way for the implementation of the road map and the return to the negotiating table," he said.
Perhaps, just perhaps, he has another think coming? I would certainly hope so, but I'm not counting on it.
Shabbat Shalom.
