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Arafat Stymies Abu Mazen
(Ha'aretz) - Arnon Regular In recent days, Palestinian Prime Minister Abu Mazen has sent messages to Arafat and Arafat associates that he is considering giving up the effort to form a cabinet. Abu Mazen has discovered that two key security services, the General Intelligence force under Tawfiq Tirawi and the National Security force under Haj Ismail, will continue to operate under Arafat's direct command. In addition, Arafat is vetoing several potential cabinet ministers, particularly Mohammed Dahlan, the former head of Preventive Security in Gaza, whom Abu Mazen wants as interior minister, responsible for all the security services. Furthermore, Abu Mazen now realizes that, in the best case, Arafat means to conduct the political negotiations with Israel and use Abu Mazen as a fig leaf. Even if he decides to be prime minister, it now appears unlikely that Abu Mazen will be able to make any real changes.