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By Arnon Regular and Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondents, Haaretz Service and Agencies
The Palestinian Legislative Council confirmed Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) as Prime Minister and approved his cabinet Tuesday evening.
Applause swept the special Palestinian legislative session in the West Bank city of Ramallah as deputies voted 51-18 with three abstentions to endorse Abu Mazen's cabinet list.
Lawmakers kissed and congratulated Abu Mazen, the first Palestinian prime minister, and he pronounced himself "very happy with this Palestinian democracy," despite militant threats to defy his agenda of negotiated peace with Israel.
"I am happy with those who voted in favor and those who voted against. I hope my cabinet and I will not disappoint our people," said Abu Mazen.
After apparently resolving a dispute with Abu Mazen, Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat had urged the PLC on Tuesday to confirm Abu Mazen's appointment.
The new cabinet is to be sworn in on Wednesday morning.
In Washington, the White House quickly welcomed the vote and said President George W. Bush would soon unveil an international "road map" to peace envisaging a Palestinian state alongside Israel by 2005 after confidence-building steps by both sides.
"The president looks forward to working with the Palestinian Authority, the Palestinian people, the Israeli government, the Israeli people, to advance the cause of peace in the Middle East," said White House spokesman Ari Fleischer.
Washington co-drafted the peace plan with the European Union, the United Nations and Russia in a peacemaking "Quartet."
Quartet sources said its diplomats based in the region met after the vote to prepare to present the road map to Israeli and Palestinian leaders "either Wednesday or Thursday."
As the Palestinian legislature convened for a confidence vote on the new cabinet, Abu Mazen said that his government would be committed to the road map, but would not agree to any Israeli demand to open negotiations on the peace plan. He said the new government would be committed to fulfilling all diplomatic and security aspects of the road map if Israel fulfills its obligations.
Abu Mazen also told Palestinian legislators that there was no military solution to the Palestinians' conflict with Israel and rejected terrorism, pledging to control militant groups and confiscate illegal weapons. He also demanded an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital and without any Jewish settlements.
Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said Tuesday that the anti-terrorism comments Abu Mazen made in front of the PLC are "a good start," but that his comments on the final-stage settlement raise serious questions.
Abu Mazen, who has opposed militant violence during the 31-month-old intifada, told the PLC that "ending the armed chaos, which carries a direct threat to the security of the citizen, will be one of our fundamental missions."
"There is no place for weapons except in the hands of the government," he said. "There is only one authority."
However, Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad said on Tuesday they would not give up their weapons.
Shalom cautiously commended Abu Mazen's rejection of terrorism.
"Abu Mazen's comments in his speech today on the importance of dealing with terrorism and incitement are in the realm of a good start," Shalom said in a statement.
"Abu Mazen and his government will be judged by their actions," he said. "If Abu Mazen implements a policy of fighting terrorism on the ground, he will find in Israel a true partner for peace."
Abu Mazen issued a blanket rejection of terrorism, saying: "We denounce terrorism by any party and in all its forms both because of our religious and moral traditions and because we are convinced that such methods do not lend support to a just cause like ours, but rather destroy it."
President Moshe Katsav said he hopes the political reality allows room for the success of Abu Mazen's stated goals.
"I believe that Abu Mazen has good intentions, and hope he has the tools to carry them out," Israel Radio reported Katsav as saying Tuesday.
However, Shalom said Abu Mazen's comments on a final-stage peace deal, in which he demanded an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital and without any Jewish settlements, may be problematic.
Such comments, said Shalom, raise serious questions regarding a readiness to arrive at an agreed-upon resolution.
Abu Mazen called for a retreat to pre-1967 borders, saying: "To be clear, the Palestinian people will not accept anything less than the exercise of our right to self-determination and the establishment of our independent state with Jerusalem as its capital - a genuine, contiguous state without any (Jewish) settlements, on all of the territories occupied in 1967 in conformity with international law."
Abu Mazen also discussed corruption, charges of which had dogged Arafat's rule. "The government will not allow anyone to misuse his position," Abu Mazen said. "The government will not hesitate to bring corrupt people to court based on fair mechanisms."
Militant groups say they won't disarm
Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad said on Tuesday they would not give up their weapons.
"Of course we will not (disarm)," said Abdel Aziz Rantissi, a top Hamas official. "We are resisting an occupation that still exists. The day we get rid of the occupation we can talk about arms."
Mohammad al-Hindi, a senior Islamic Jihad leader, said: "Islamic Jihad is a resistance movement, and it will not drop its weapons before the occupation ends."
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/288010.html
By Arnon Regular and Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondents, Haaretz Service and Agencies
The Palestinian Legislative Council confirmed Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) as Prime Minister and approved his cabinet Tuesday evening.
Applause swept the special Palestinian legislative session in the West Bank city of Ramallah as deputies voted 51-18 with three abstentions to endorse Abu Mazen's cabinet list.
Lawmakers kissed and congratulated Abu Mazen, the first Palestinian prime minister, and he pronounced himself "very happy with this Palestinian democracy," despite militant threats to defy his agenda of negotiated peace with Israel.
"I am happy with those who voted in favor and those who voted against. I hope my cabinet and I will not disappoint our people," said Abu Mazen.
After apparently resolving a dispute with Abu Mazen, Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat had urged the PLC on Tuesday to confirm Abu Mazen's appointment.
The new cabinet is to be sworn in on Wednesday morning.
In Washington, the White House quickly welcomed the vote and said President George W. Bush would soon unveil an international "road map" to peace envisaging a Palestinian state alongside Israel by 2005 after confidence-building steps by both sides.
"The president looks forward to working with the Palestinian Authority, the Palestinian people, the Israeli government, the Israeli people, to advance the cause of peace in the Middle East," said White House spokesman Ari Fleischer.
Washington co-drafted the peace plan with the European Union, the United Nations and Russia in a peacemaking "Quartet."
Quartet sources said its diplomats based in the region met after the vote to prepare to present the road map to Israeli and Palestinian leaders "either Wednesday or Thursday."
As the Palestinian legislature convened for a confidence vote on the new cabinet, Abu Mazen said that his government would be committed to the road map, but would not agree to any Israeli demand to open negotiations on the peace plan. He said the new government would be committed to fulfilling all diplomatic and security aspects of the road map if Israel fulfills its obligations.
Abu Mazen also told Palestinian legislators that there was no military solution to the Palestinians' conflict with Israel and rejected terrorism, pledging to control militant groups and confiscate illegal weapons. He also demanded an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital and without any Jewish settlements.
Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said Tuesday that the anti-terrorism comments Abu Mazen made in front of the PLC are "a good start," but that his comments on the final-stage settlement raise serious questions.
Abu Mazen, who has opposed militant violence during the 31-month-old intifada, told the PLC that "ending the armed chaos, which carries a direct threat to the security of the citizen, will be one of our fundamental missions."
"There is no place for weapons except in the hands of the government," he said. "There is only one authority."
However, Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad said on Tuesday they would not give up their weapons.
Shalom cautiously commended Abu Mazen's rejection of terrorism.
"Abu Mazen's comments in his speech today on the importance of dealing with terrorism and incitement are in the realm of a good start," Shalom said in a statement.
"Abu Mazen and his government will be judged by their actions," he said. "If Abu Mazen implements a policy of fighting terrorism on the ground, he will find in Israel a true partner for peace."
Abu Mazen issued a blanket rejection of terrorism, saying: "We denounce terrorism by any party and in all its forms both because of our religious and moral traditions and because we are convinced that such methods do not lend support to a just cause like ours, but rather destroy it."
President Moshe Katsav said he hopes the political reality allows room for the success of Abu Mazen's stated goals.
"I believe that Abu Mazen has good intentions, and hope he has the tools to carry them out," Israel Radio reported Katsav as saying Tuesday.
However, Shalom said Abu Mazen's comments on a final-stage peace deal, in which he demanded an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital and without any Jewish settlements, may be problematic.
Such comments, said Shalom, raise serious questions regarding a readiness to arrive at an agreed-upon resolution.
Abu Mazen called for a retreat to pre-1967 borders, saying: "To be clear, the Palestinian people will not accept anything less than the exercise of our right to self-determination and the establishment of our independent state with Jerusalem as its capital - a genuine, contiguous state without any (Jewish) settlements, on all of the territories occupied in 1967 in conformity with international law."
Abu Mazen also discussed corruption, charges of which had dogged Arafat's rule. "The government will not allow anyone to misuse his position," Abu Mazen said. "The government will not hesitate to bring corrupt people to court based on fair mechanisms."
Militant groups say they won't disarm
Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad said on Tuesday they would not give up their weapons.
"Of course we will not (disarm)," said Abdel Aziz Rantissi, a top Hamas official. "We are resisting an occupation that still exists. The day we get rid of the occupation we can talk about arms."
Mohammad al-Hindi, a senior Islamic Jihad leader, said: "Islamic Jihad is a resistance movement, and it will not drop its weapons before the occupation ends."
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/288010.html
