Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, under domestic and world pressure to make reforms, announced a new cabinet today.
There were four new faces in the cabinet, which was reduced from 21 to 19 members, officials in Mr Arafat's headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah said.
He announced the new cabinet in a televised speech from his headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah and was expected to bring the new lineup for approval by the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) later in the day.
The previous cabinet quit in September to avoid a PLC no-confidence vote.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces killed a suspected Islamic militant and demolished the home of another in West Bank raids today, Palestinian witnesses said.
Elsewhere in the West Bank, soldiers dismantled Havat Gilead, an illegal Jewish settlement, without resistance from about 20 settlers living there.Last week, settlers scuffled with soldiers trying to drag them away.
A growing dispute over settlements is threatening to bring down Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon's coalition government and force early elections.
Mr Sharon has said he will try to form a narrow coalition if his junior partner, the Labour Party, votes against the 2003 state budget tomorrow as threatened to protest at increased spending on settlements.
AP