Arafat Appoints Security Chief
Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat appointed an acting security chief Monday over interim Prime Minister Ahmed Korei’s opposition.
Arafat named Hakam Balawi, a senior official from his ruling Fatah party, a Palestinian official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Korei, who has been in office for about a week, has already threatened to resign several times because of disputes with Arafat. The latest threat came Sunday, when the prime minister said he would not be part of the new government set to form in about three weeks.
Korei’s success or failure in office could decide the fate of stalled negotiations with Israel over a peace plan intended to end years of violence and create a Palestinian state by 2005.
The Palestinian government has been in disarray for days over a dispute about an emergency Cabinet and who would be the new top security official.
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