(Jerusalem Post) - Khaled Abu Toameh Many Palestinians regard Arafat's announcement of his readiness to appoint a prime minister more as an attempt to appease the international community than as a sincere effort on his part to wipe out corruption. "Arafat has been living in isolation for more than a year and he's prepared to do almost anything to make a comeback. He also knows that without the support of the EU, especially the financial aid, the PA would cease to exist," said one Palestinian official. "Who needs a prime minister while Arafat is still around?" asks a Palestinian engineer in Nablus. "How can anyone seriously expect him to step aside and allow someone else to take over most of his authority? Even if we have a prime minister, he wouldn't be able to move an inch without Arafat's consent. Arafat is not an idiot and he will never allow anyone to undermine his power, at least not as long as he's alive."
2003-02-24 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive