Arafat Accepts Many Cabinet Resignations

Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat accepted resignations from most of his Cabinet--nearly a year after they were submitted amid allegations of corruption. Palestinian legislators had threatened Arafat with a no-confidence vote if he didn’t accept the resignations and present a new Cabinet. Legislators agreed to give Arafat two weeks to shuffle the Cabinet, Palestinian Minister of Local Government Saeb Erekat said. Meanwhile, the founder of the group that is Arafat’s main domestic opponent, Sheik Ahmed Yassin of Hamas, returned to the Palestinian-ruled Gaza Strip after a four-month tour of Arab and other Muslim states during which he reportedly collected millions of dollars for the militant organization.