Palestinians Seek New Government

Unnerved by persistent chaos in the streets, Palestinian lawmakers demanded Monday that President Mahmoud Abbas name a new government to rule until elections in January.

The parliament’s action came a day after clashes between Palestinian security forces and Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip left three people dead. It reflected Palestinians’ growing exasperation over disorder caused by factional violence.

Legislators in Ramallah and Gaza City, meeting via video link, voted 43 to 5 to demand that Abbas form a new government within two weeks. But the parliament stopped short of a formal no-confidence vote, so it was unclear whether the Palestinian Authority president was legally bound to abide by the action.

Replacing the Cabinet would further roil Palestinian politics but probably have no far-reaching effects because the current government is scheduled to end after the parliamentary elections on Jan. 25. Abbas could stick with the current prime minister, Ahmed Korei, to lead a replacement Cabinet despite reported friction between the two men.

Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator and a member of parliament, said lawmakers wanted Abbas to name a caretaker government that would tackle the law-and-order crisis before the election.

“This way he could talk to the prime minister to see what could be done: form an emergency Cabinet, a transitional Cabinet or reduce the number” of ministers, Erekat said. “The majority wants to put an end to the chaos.”

During the latest outbreak, Palestinian police and Hamas gunmen traded fire in a series of clashes Sunday night that killed a Palestinian police commander and two civilian bystanders. About 50 other people were wounded during the violence, which began in a Gaza City neighborhood and spread to a nearby refugee camp. Gunmen also fired at police stations.

Lawmakers debated the security problem via video because those in Gaza could not get to the West Bank because of recent Israeli travel restrictions.

As the legislative session took place, dozens of police officers stormed the parliament building in Gaza City to demand stronger action against Hamas. The officers fired into the air and pushed their way inside, interrupting the meeting. The Gazan police, complaining that they are outgunned by Hamas, exhorted lawmakers to bolster their arsenal.

Abbas is under pressure on all sides following Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza last month. Israel and the U.S. want him to take action against armed groups. However, Abbas has opted against a forceful confrontation that some Palestinian officials fear would spark civil war, instead gaining agreement from the militants to not display their weapons in public.

Abbas is hoping that Hamas, which intends to run in the parliamentary elections, will disarm on its own after joining the political process.

Monday’s parliament session focused on a special legislative panel’s report about the decaying security climate. The committee blamed a lack of coordination between Abbas and Korei, a weak judicial system and the failure by Interior Minister Nasser Yousef to create a unified security structure. The report also said armed militant groups were to blame.

The committee recommended a no-confidence vote. However, the parliament’s speaker, Rouhi Fatouh, instead proposed calling on Abbas to form a new government without formally sacking the old one.

Members of parliament expressed worry that the chaos could worsen without action.

“We are at the door of a civil war if we cannot control the situation,” warned lawmaker Kadoura Fares, who belongs to Abbas’ Fatah organization.

Times staff writer Ellingwood reported from Jerusalem and special correspondent Abukhater from Ramallah. Special correspondent Fayed abu Shammalah in Gaza City contributed to this report.