MIDDLE EAST: Palestinian Prime Minister Mr Ahmed Korei agreed yesterday to reshuffle his proposed cabinet with more reform-minded ministers, bowing to pressure from angry lawmakers and defusing a political crisis.
The new line-up, due to be put to a parliamentary vote today after a two-day delay, appeared to pave the way for President Mahmoud Abbas to press ahead with a promised overhaul of the Palestinian Authority and peace efforts with Israel.
Lawmakers demanding cabinet changes to move away from the corruption-tainted image of Yasser Arafat's era had threatened to pass a vote of no-confidence in the government, a move that could have forced Mr Korei from office.
Under a deal with dissidents in his dominant Fatah faction, Mr Korei promised to redraw his cabinet list to add several more new faces, including reformists and technocrats who could help the Palestinian Authority run more smoothly, legislators said.
Though details were scant, it was clear the government would still include a number of Mr Korei's original choices, including Arafat loyalists such as Nabil Shaath, tipped to become deputy prime minister, and Saeb Erekat, a top spokesman.
"Abu Ala [ Korei] agreed to present a new government tomorrow and this is an achievement for the Palestinian Legislative Council," Fatah lawmaker Hatem Abdel-Qader said.
Mr Abbas and a younger generation of pro-reform Fatah legislators had tried in recent weeks to persuade Mr Korei to drop some members of Arafat's old guard and include more newcomers, amid calls to eradicate corruption and mismanagement.
Mr Korei's 24-member cabinet line-up drew an outcry in parliament on Monday for adding only four new faces. Under Arafat, ministers came mostly from a circle of old cronies.
In Gaza, Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an armed wing of Fatah behind deadly attacks on Israelis and a driving force for Palestinian anti-corruption reforms, urged President Abbas to sack Mr Korei, who was appointed by Arafat in late 2003.
Mr Abbas is under heavy pressure from the US and other international donors to revamp often competing security forces and clean up his government.
"I hope he will seize the moment," President Bush said in a policy speech in Brussels.
Mr Abbas reaffirmed his commitment to implementing reforms and to seek coexistence between Israel and a future Palestinian state "without violence, terror, occupation and settlements".
Prospects for peacemaking have brightened since Mr Abbas succeeded Arafat last month on a platform of non-violence and persuaded militants to abide by a de facto truce.
In a gesture to Mr Abbas, Israel freed 500 Palestinian prisoners on Monday in the largest release for nearly a decade.
But the mood of celebration was tempered by Palestinian demands for even larger prisoner releases.