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Monday, Jul 19, 2004

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International

Qurei meets Arafat amid turbulence

GAZA CITY, JULY 18. Gunmen burned down local offices of Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority in Gaza on Sunday, as anger spread over the Palestinian leader's overhaul of his security forces that many saw as falling short of genuine reform.

In the West Bank city of Ramallah, Mr. Arafat met his Prime Minister, Ahmed Qurei, over the political crisis that erupted over the continuing violence in Gaza and Mr. Qurei's attempt to resign as head of the Palestinian government.

``I totally reject your resignation and consider it nonexistent,'' Mr. Arafat told Mr. Qurei, according to a Cabinet Minister, Saeb Erekat. Mr. Qurei told his Cabinet on Saturday he was firm in his decision to quit.

The internal Palestinian unrest was the most serious in more than a year. In 2003, protests against corruption forced Mr. Arafat to promise reforms and appoint a new government, led by Mahmoud Abbas. He resigned after only four months.

Dozens of militants belonging to an extreme offshoot of Mr. Arafat's Fatah movement stormed an office building in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis shortly after midnight to protest Mr. Arafat's appointment of his cousin, Moussa Arafat, as chief of security.

One security guard was wounded in a gun battle with the militants, who seized control of the building, stole weapons, and burned two offices and several cars parked nearby.

Mr. Moussa Arafat's appointment was part of Mr. Arafat's reforms to his security forces, as demanded in the ``road map'' peace plan. However, members of Mr. Arafat's own Fatah movement were infuriated, accusing Mr. Moussa Arafat of symbolising the corruption in the Palestinian Authority.

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