ARAFAT REJECTS PLAN BY ABU MAZEN TO DISARM FATAH MILITIA

Reportaje de Arnon Regular en  “Ha´aretz” del 22.04.2003

The dispute between Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat and Palestinian prime minister signate Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) over the formation of a new government centers around the latter's plans to dismantle Fatah's Al Aqsa Brigades and his intentions to deal with the other armed factions in the territories.

Most reports have focused on Abu Mazen's plan to make Mohammed Dahlan, the Gazan strongman and former head of the Preventive Security Services in the Gaza Strip, head of the new government's security services. However, Palestinian sources said the dispute actually revolves around the premier-designate's plans for establishing a new PA security policy, and whether he must win Arafat's approval for every decision he makes.

The sources said Abu Mazen's plans to disarm the underground armed wing of Fatah, the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, and how he will confront Hamas and Islamic Jihad are at the heart of the dispute.

Abu Mazen insists that he be granted sole authority over the disarming of armed factions, while Arafat rejects the demand, fearing that the disarming of the Al Aqsa Brigades would lead to a civil war. The two also have not reached an agreement as to how to deal with the other armed factions.

Despite massive international pressure, including phone calls from European leaders to Arafat, the dispute has come down to the wire. To meet his deadline, Abu Mazen must present his government to the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) by tonight. However, as of late, a majority of the PLC, which gave a sweeping mandate to Abu Mazen to form a government just two months ago, has consolidated around Arafat. As a result, it is doubtful that the prime minister-designate can win the council's vote of confidence unless he reaches a deal with Arafat.

The pressure on Arafat has been so great, according to Palestinian sources, that at one point Arafat slammed down the phone on a senior European statesman.

Although Arafat and Abu Mazen reached an agreement that 12 to 14 of the PA's former ministers will remain in a 24-to-26-member government, as favored by Abu Mazen, the dispute over overall strategy - and Arafat's role in setting that course - has superseded their apparent compromise. The dispute, therefore, appears to be threatening not only an Abu Mazen government, but also the international road map intended to renew political negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.