Arafat wins vote but hears gripes

RAMALLAH, West Bank -- The Palestinian parliament gave a tepid nod of approval to a new Cabinet for Yasser Arafat on Tuesday during a stormy session that revealed the anger, frustration and distrust that many lawmakers feel toward the Palestinian leader and his lieutenants.

During a debate on the Cabinet as a grim-faced Arafat looked on, speaker after speaker complained about the Cabinet's lack of accountability, ineptitude and corruption since the Palestinian Authority was set up to govern parts of the Gaza Strip and West Bank after the 1993 Oslo peace agreement. Even many of those who eventually voted with the 56-18 majority to approve the Cabinet said they were doing so with grave reservations.

Many indicated that they were endorsing the Cabinet principally to preserve a facade of unity at a time when Arafat and his leadership have come under intense criticism, particularly from the United States and Israel, which are pushing for major political, financial, judicial and security reforms as a prerequisite for peace negotiations. Both Israel and the United States favor Arafat's removal from office or his reduction to a figurehead status as part of the reforms.

"We wish the Cabinet matched the ambitions and urgency we have," said Jamileh Saidam, a lawmaker from the Gaza Strip. "We are living in a very dangerous situation, and so many are betting on splitting and dividing our ranks. I'm voting in favor of the Cabinet despite my fears."

The 85-member parliament, known as the Palestinian Legislative Council, forced Tuesday's session when, seven weeks ago, it refused a vote of confidence to a Cabinet Arafat had previously proposed, and that Cabinet resigned. Many considered the council's rejection as a slap in the face for the man Palestinians see as a larger-than-life symbol of their fight to create an independent Palestinian state.

The legislature's move then was a bold challenge to Arafat's leadership -- the exact sort of action Israel and the United States were hoping for. Analysts saw it as a possible sign that a separation and balance of political powers were emerging within the Palestinian hierarchy, which might herald an end to Arafat's one-man rule, or at least a reduction of his powers.

But many legislators on Tuesday rejected what they called attempts at meddling in Palestinian affairs by the United States and Israel, suggesting that, at least temporarily, U.S. and Israeli policies have increased Arafat's support rather than weakened it.

"This is a major factor. The core is Israeli and American attempts to intervene and remove President Arafat," said Ahmad al-Dik, a lawmaker from the West Bank town of Salfit, about 20 miles north of Jerusalem, who voted in favor of the Cabinet. "Their behavior and actions made a lot of people side with President Arafat."

In the end, the Cabinet approved Tuesday was remarkably similar to the one previously proposed by Arafat and disparaged by the council seven weeks ago, suggesting a victory for the beleaguered leader, despite the political scarring he received in the process.

The 21-person Cabinet was reduced to 19 members, with five new faces. Fourteen ministers kept their posts, including seven cited for corruption or incompetence in a scathing report by the council five years ago. None of the charges were seriously investigated, leading to complaints of cronyism, corruption and lack of accountability.

In Jerusalem, meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was working to head off the potential collapse of his ruling coalition as the moderate Labor Party threatened to pull out.

Labor, the largest faction in the government, says it will vote against the 2003 state budget today to protest what it views as excessive spending on Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza.

Sharon has said he will force out any party that votes against the budget and would try to form a narrow coalition of right-wing and religious parties.

-- Information from the Washington Post and Associated Press was used in this report.

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