BBC (Thursday): Palestinian MPs back new cabinet

[Jack Rabbit]

From the BBC Online
Dated Thursday February 24 12:30 GMT (4:30 am PST)

Palestinian MPs back new cabinet

The Palestinian parliament has approved Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei's new cabinet, ending days of heated discussions and political deadlock.
Legislators in Ramallah backed the 24-member cabinet with a 54-12 vote, with four abstentions.

The move came after Mr Qurei agreed to demands by the main Fatah faction not to appoint veterans from the Arafat era - which was widely seen as corrupt.

The new cabinet is dominated by professional appointees.

It looks like the Palestinians are moving toward the kind of government they need at this juncture and away from Arafat's corrupt autocracy.

When, as will happen sooner or later, a peace agreement is reached, Palestinian state is declared and Israeli troops and settlers withdraw from Palestine, Palestine will need to build social infrastructure. A government dominated by technocrats is the best way to meet those needs.

On the down side, it is unfortunate that these moves had to be forced on Qurei. It would lead one to believe that the Palestinians would have been better off forcing him out as well.