- Egyptian Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman has reportedly
warned Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat to relax his grip on
the reins of Palestinian power or face the possibility that Egypt and the
US will cease to block Prime Minister Ariel Sharon from carrying out his
threat to "remove" the chairman.
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- According to a report Monday in the pan-Arab Al-Quds-al-Arabi,
Suleiman handed Arafat three demands:
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- First, to unite all the Palestinian security forces under
one command authority, and into three components. These include the police,
the Preventative Security Service (equivalent of Israel's General Security
Service), and the Palestinian foreign security service (equivalent of Israel's
Mossad).
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- Secondly, give PA Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei complete
authority to conduct negotiations with Israel over Ariel Sharon's unilateral
disengagement plan.
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- Thirdly, stand aside and accept a symbolic position and
let others lead the Palestinian Authority.
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- If these demands are not met, the Egyptian-American shield
saving Arafat's life may be removed, Al-Quds-al-Arabi reported.
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- The Egyptian emissary, who last Monday shuttled between
Jerusalem and Ramallah to discuss Egypt's role following a possible Israeli
withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, warned Arafat that the suggested political
and security reforms are necessary and will facilitate Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon's initiative.
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- Arafat was given a deadline of June 15 to give a decisive
reply with regards to the suggestion or else his future will be "left
in the hands of Ariel Sharon."
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- The newspaper reported that although the list of reforms
was communicated by Egypt, it was drawn up in conjunction with the US and
Israel.
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- A senior Palestinian official informed al-Quds al-Arabi
that the US is eager to push forward a peace plan between Israel and the
Palestinian to cover for the letdown of its policy in Iraq and improve
its image in the Arab world.
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- The same official met with Arafat in Ramallah, where
the PA chairman told him he intends to refuse the Egyptian demands, because
their implementation means the end of his de facto leadership and his reduction
to a purely symbolic figure, wrote al-Quds al-Arabi.
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- Also Monday, the Egyptian newspaper al-Ahram reported
that PM Qurei will soon meet representatives of all Palestinian factions,
including Hamas and Jihad, in order to discuss a consensual agreement over
a ceasefire with Israel.
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- At the meeting, which will be held in Cairo, Qurei will
notify Palestinian factions that an agreement over a ceasefire will require
them to respect it and each violation of the agreement will be considered
"illegal."
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- Under such agreement, the PA holds the right to take
"appropriate actions" against the factions who breach the agreement
by perpetrating violent attacks against Israel, al-Ahram reported.
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- The newspaper said that if Qurei finalizes a ceasefire
agreement with all Palestinian factions, and pledges to take concrete actions
against those who breach it, then Prime Minister Sharon will be willing
to meet Qurei.
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- Sharon expressed his willingness to meet Qurei during
his meeting last week in Jerusalem with Egyptian Intelligence Chief Suleiman.
Sharon said, however, that he would only meet Qurei on condition that the
latter proves that the PA is willing to and capable of controlling terror
groups.
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