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| Middle East |
| Yasser has a new cabinet... |
| 2002-10-29 |
| Palestinian President Yasser Arafat announced Tuesday, October 29, his new cabinet to parliament ahead of a key confidence vote, introducing four newcomers. Arafat named four new ministers, including Interior Minister Hani al-Hassan, from Fatah; Health Minister, Ahmed Shibi, also from Fatah; Justice Minister, Zoheir Sourani, an independent; and a Minister for Prisoners, Hisham Abdelrazaq. The new line-up also featured Palestinian Authority "All the other nonentities get to be in the cabinet! Why don't I?" The new cabinet has been described as falling short of the sweeping demands for a government of younger technocrats demanded by parliament when it forced a previously reshuffled line-up to step down in September. They're younger than Yasser, but those we've heard of have been around long enough not to age well... Fatah officials said Arafat turned up the pressure on them to back his candidates in intensive talks in recent weeks, with the Palestinian President calling a defeat for his cabinet a victory for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. "If you don't shoot yourself in the foot, the Jews will have won!" Arafat called for "reconciliation" with Israel and renewed his condemnation of attacks on civilians. "I extend my hand in reconciliation to the Israelis to resume the peace process launched in Madrid in 1991," said Arafat, who has frequently called for a resumption of talks. Ever since being declared "irrelevant"... He likewise called for Israel and the Palestinians to be "good neighbors." "C'mon by for barbecue, neighbor! It don't get no better'n this!" "We want to live as neighbors. Let us find a common ground for the security we desire, which you desire, for our common security," said Arafat. When did this start? Before last April, Yasser never showed a desire to borrow the Israeli national lawn mower... |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |