Palestinian officials on Thursday rejected U.S. President Bush's threat to withhold financial aid and said Palestinians would defy U.S. pressure to replace Yasser Arafat.
"The call by Bush contradicts the principles of democracy claimed by the United States," Palestinian Telecommunications Minister Imad al-Falouji told Reuters. "No one has the right to intervene in the internal affairs of the Palestinian people."
Falouji scoffed at Bush's remarks, saying: "Bush is threatening something that does not exist, because the United States has never sent financial aid to the Palestinian people." Arafat aide Ahmed Abdel-Rahman accused the American leader of conducting an "unfair campaign" against the Palestinian leadership.
Meanwhile, Arafat signed a decree putting the police, preventive security and civil defense under the umbrella of the recently created interior ministry. "In the sake of general interest ... the police force, the preventive security force and the civil defense will be attached to the interior ministry," said the decree issued by Arafat's office.
"All the possessions and equipment of the police, preventive security and civil defense will also be relinquished to the interior ministry," the decree added. It called on the "concerned parties to implement this decree as of June 27, 2002."
The secretary of the Palestinian presidency, Tayeb Abdel Rahim, told AFP he hoped the reform would lead to the "strong infrastructure for the establishment of a Palestinian state. "We built institutions that the Israeli occupation have destroyed and we have done some mistakes that we are trying to rectify," Abdul Rahman said.
The decree came a day after the Palestinian Authority unveiled a 100-day reform plan of sweeping changes in the financial, judicial and security sectors.
The plan says the PA will implement the basic law a kind of Palestinian constitution that was signed by Arafat in May after several years of delay. A single transparent Treasury account would be created, to improve the management of public funds. All PA funds will be deposited in this account, according to the plan. The plan denounced "fanaticism " in the educational system and said it would be reformed.
The plan also said the PA would create greater discipline in its security services, and would establish law and order. It stressed that the PA is still committed to the peace process, and will work with all friendly parties to end the violence. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
