Notstand der Demokratie – Ahmed Kurei bleibt für 30 Tage im Amt Der Anfang vom Ende des Jassir Arafat, so erschien im April dieses Jahres die Ernennung des ersten palästinensischen Premierministers Mahmud Abbas. Voraus gegangen war eine tagelange interne Auseinandersetzung zwischen den beiden PLO-Führern, in der der„Alte“ – wie man den PA-Vorsitzenden bereits zu betiteln begann, am Ende den Kürzeren gezogen zu haben schien(vgl. Kurzanalyse FES Palästina Machtkampf in Ramallah vom 24.04.2003). Nur 131 Tage später warf ein verbitterter Mahmoud Abbas das Handtuch. Vorausgegangen war eine Blockadepolitik des PLO-Vorsitzenden Arafat gegenüber seinem Premierminister, die an Mobbing erinnerte, aber auch eine Politik der eisernen Faust von israelischer Seite, die ihre gezielten Tötungsangriffe auf palästinensische Extremisten während des Waffenstillstands fortgesetzt hatte(vgl. Kurzanalyse FES Palästina Mission Impossible vom 8. September 2003). Mit dem schrecklichen Anschlag vom 19. August, bei dem in Jerusalem 21 Menschen, darunter viele Kinder, ums Leben kamen und der darauf folgenden Entscheidung des Kabinetts Sharon, den Vor sitzenden der Autonomiebehörde„zu entfernen“, schien Yassir Arafat endgültig zurück auf der politischen Bühne Palästinas. Von Tausenden seiner Anhänger frenetisch gefeiert, zeigte er sich vor der in Trümmern liegenden Muqata, dem Regierungsgebäude in Ramallah und sonnte sich in seiner wieder gewonnenen Popularität – und dies nur ein Jahr nach dem seine Beliebtheitswerte in der Bevölkerung auf eine Rate von 27,9% abgesunken waren. 1 Am 5. Oktober schließlich machte Jassir Arafat seine Rückkehr zur allumfassenden Macht perfekt und rief mit Bezug auf das palästinensische Grundgesetz Kapitel 7 den Notstand aus, eine Maßnahme, die „eine Bedrohung der nationalen Sicherheit durch Krieg oder Invasion, einen bewaffneten Aufstand oder eine Naturkatastrophe“ voraussetzt. 2 Keine dieser Vorbedingungen war am 5. Oktober in einem qualitativ höheren Maße gegeben als in den Wochen zuvor oder in Zeiten der so genannten „Operation Defensive Shield“ der israelischen Armee im April 2002. So muss die Ausrufung des Notstands, mit dem Machtprivilegien für den PA-Vorsitzenden Arafat einher gehen, als das letzte i-Tüpfelchen einer Entwicklung betrachtet werden, in der sich der PLOFührer zurück an die Macht befördert hat. Wie in Zeiten vor Beginn der palästinensischen Reformen regiert er nun wieder per Dekret. Kaum jemandem war dabei aufgefallen, dass sich der Präsident bei der Ausrufung des Notfalls auf einen falschen Paragraphen des Grundgesetzes bezog. Es sind diese Hintergründe, die vermuten lassen, weshalb sich der 1 Umfrage Nr. 44/2002 des Jerusalem Media and Commu nication Centers (JMCC) 2 Palestinian Basic Law ratifiziert am 29. Mai 2002(vgl. http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/world/palestb asic.htm) palästinensische Legislativ rat PLC zunächst weigerte, das so genannte Notstandskabinett zu verabschie den. Hinzu kommen Fatah-interne Grabenkämpfe, in denen sich die führenden Köpfe angesichts eines kranken Jassir Arafat versuchen, für eine Zeit nach Arafat in Position zu bringen. Was von der internationalen Presse als„Chaos in Ramallah“ und„Machtvakuum“ interpretiert wird, ist letztendlich also nichts anderes, als der verzweifelte Versuch, die zarten Pflänzchen der palästinensischen Reform, mit der eine Stärkung des Parlaments einher ging, gegenüber dem alten, kranken Mann zu retten. Auf 30 Tage ist der Notstand laut Verfassung festgelegt und kann nur einmal – mit Zustimmung des Parlaments – verlängert werden. Bereits einen Tag nach der Einigung zwischen Ahmed Kurei und Jassir Arafat, erklärte der neue Premier seinen Rücktritt für die Zeit nach Ablauf der ersten 30 Tage. Es scheint als sei dies der Kompromiss, auf den sich die Reformbewegung in der Fatah mit ihrem realitätsfremden Vorsitzenden hat einigen können. In der palästinensischen Bevölkerung wächst in der Zwischenzeit die Wut über die eigene Führung, die angesichts ihrer Leiden, nur Zeit für den internen Machtpoker, aber keine neuen Lösungsansätze für den Konflikt mit Israel findet. Michèle Auga, FES Ost-Jerusalem, 14. Oktober 2003 1

Dokumentation: THE NEW PALESTINIAN CABINET(“Emergency Government”) Quelle: Jerusalem Media and Communication Center(JMCC) The Palestinian Authority(PA) Prime Minister-designate, Ahmad Qrei – Abu Ala, submitted the following Cabinet on Sunday, October 5th. 1. Ahmad Qrei- Abu Ala; Prime Minister(Fateh) 2. Salam Fayyad – Minister of Finance(Independent) 3. Nabil Shaath; Minister of External Affairs(Fateh) 4. Naim Abu Hommos; Minister of Education and Higher Education(Fateh) 5. Saeb Erekat;(No Ministerial Portfolio)(Fateh) 6. Abdel Rahman Hamad;(No Ministerial Portfolio)(Fateh) 7. Jamal Shobaki;(No Ministerial Portfolio)(Fateh) 8. Jawad Tibi;(No Ministerial Portfolio)(Fateh) 9. not confirmed until 12/10/2003: Nasr Yousef; Minister of Interior(Fateh) 1. AHMAD QREI(ABU ALA) – PRIME MINISTER(FATEH) Born in Abu Dis, Palestine in 1937. Political Career Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council& PLC member for Jerusalem. Joined Fateh in 1968. Had been director of PLO’s foreign investment arm, director-general of PLO’s economic department& member of financial subcommittee; elected to Fateh Cenrral Committee in Aug89. Had a key role in negotiating Oslo accords as chief of delegation,& headed negotiations which led to the Apr. 94 Paris agreement& Sept95 Oslo II agreement. Is chief negotiator in the final status talks. Minister of Economy& Trade, then Minister for Industry, in the first PA cabinets, before the PLC elections(1994-6); prepared the PLO’s development strategy for the OTs in“Programme for Development of the Palestinian national economy, 1994-2000”, and became Managing-Director of PECDAR since its creation in 1993. Obtained the highest number of votes in Jerusalem in the PNC elections. Has good relations with West Bank NGOs, and is generally seen as“pro-democracy”; won 60/73 votes in PLC re-election for Speaker in Mar 2000. Also owns a company that produce cement. Had surgery to unblock a coronary artery in 2002, and taken to hospital with chest pains in Jun02. 2. SALAM FAYYAD – MINISTER OF FINANCE(INDEPENDENT) Born in Dayr al-Ghussun, Palestine in 1952, Dr. Fayyad is married with three children. Political Career Since October 2002, Dr. Fayyad has served as the Minister of Finance. His commitment to transparency and proper accounting practices led to extensive audits of PA accounts. In 2003, he submitted the first publicly disclosed PA budget that was approved by the PLC. He is also the Chairman of the Palestine Investment Fund, the Board of Insurance, and the Salaries Fund. Career In 1987, Dr. Fayyad began his career as an economist working at the World Bank in Washington, D.C. From 1995 to 2001, Dr. Fayyad was the IMF’s representative in Jerusalem, where he worked on financial reform for the PA Ministry of Finance. Prompted by a sense of civic responsibility to reform the financial system of the PA, Dr. Fayyad resigned from his post as the Head of the Arab Bank in the Occupied West Bank in order to serve as the Minister of Finance in 2002. Education Dr. Fayyad holds a Ph.D. in Economics(University of Texas), an MBA in Accounting(University of Texas) and a B.Sc. in Engineering(American University of Beirut). Dr. Fayyad has authored a number of research papers on the Palestinian economy. He is known for his no-nonsense attitude regarding transparency and fiscal responsibility. 3. NABEEL SHA’ATH – MINISTER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS(FATEH) Born in Safad, Palestine in 1938, Dr. Shaath lived in exile and returned to the Gaza Strip in June 1994. He is married with four children. Political Career Dr. Shaath previously served as the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, a position he held since 1994. He was elected to the PLC in 1996 representing Khan Yunis in the Gaza Strip. A long-time figure in 2

Palestinian politics, Dr. Shaath has been a member of the Fateh Central Committee since 1971 and served as the Director of the PLO Planning Center in Beirut. In 1974, he headed the PLO’s first delegation to the United Nations. In 1991, Dr. Shaath was a member of the Madrid Peace Delegation and later was involved in negotiations with Israel that led to the signing of the Oslo Agreements. From 1993 to 1995, he served as the head of the Palestinian negotiation team, and participated in later negotiations with Israel, including those conducted at Camp David (2000) and Taba(2001). He has also represented Occupied Palestine at the World Economic Forum. Career As a public planning and transportation consultant, Dr. Shaath worked extensively throughout the Arab world, establishing both the Engineering and Management Institute and the Center for Administrative Development, which offers management training in 14 offices throughout the Arab world. Dr. Shaath taught economics at the University of Cairo, the University of Alexandria(Egypt) and the University of Pennsylvania from 1961 to 1970. From 1969 to 1975, he was the Dean of the School of Business Administration at the American University in Beirut. His interest in education prompted him to found the Dar al-Fata al-Arabi, the only institution in the Arab world dedicated to publishing books for children and young readers. Education Dr. Shaath holds a J.D. in Law(University of Pennsylvania), a Ph.D. in Economics and Administrative Science (Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania), an MBA in Finance and Banking(University of Pennsylvania) and a B.A. in Business Administration(University of Alexandria, Egypt). Dr. Shaath is an avid piano player and enjoys reading poetry. 4. NAIM ABU HOMMOS – MINISTER OF EDUCATION AND HIGHER EDUCATION(FATEH) Born in Birzeit, Palestine in 1955, Dr. Abu Hommos is a refugee from Lydda, Palestine(now Lod, Israel). Dr. Abu Hommos is married with five children. Political Career A long-time Palestinian activist, Dr. Abu Hommos joined the Fateh party at the age of 14, and later became a member of the Palestinian National Council. He has served as the Minister of Education since 2002. In 1994, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Education. Since 1989, Dr. Abu Hommos has served as the Secretary-General of the Palestinian Council for Higher Education. Career From 1982 to 1989, Dr. Abu Hommos served as the head of the Education and Psychology Departments at AnNajah University in Nablus. He later headed the General Exam Committee and the Textbook Development Committee. Dr. Abu Hommos is the author of eight books in the fields of education and politics. Education Dr. Abu Hommos holds a Ph.D. in Education(San Francisco State University), an M.A. in Special Education(San Francisco State University) and a B.A. in Education(University of Jordan). He enjoys reading, archaeology and hiking. 5. SAEB EREKAT – NO MINISTERIAL PORTFOLIO(FATEH) Born in 1955 in East Jerusalem, Palestine, Dr. Erekat is married with four children. Political Career Previously Dr. Erekat served as Minister of Local Government, a position he held since 1994. He was elected to the PLC in 1996, representing Jericho. In 1991, he was the Vice-Chair of the Madrid Peace Delegation and later involved in the Washington negotiations. In 1994, Dr. Erekat was appointed the Chairman of the Palestinian negotiation delegation and has since been a senior member of the Palestinian negotiation team. He has been extensively involved in all negotiations with Israel, including those conducted at Camp David(2000) and in Taba(2001). Career A former journalist, Dr. Erekat served on the editorial board of Al-Quds newspaper, the Palestinian daily with the highest circulation. He was a lecturer in political science at An-Najah University in Nablus. He also served as the Secretary-General of the Arab Studies Society. Education Dr. Erekat holds a Ph.D. in Peace Studies(Bradford University), and a B.A. and M.A. in Political Science(University of San Francisco). Dr. Erekat is the author of eight books and numerous research papers on foreign policy, oil, and conflict resolution. 3

6. ABUDL RAHMAN HAMAD – NO MINISTERIAL PORTFOLIO(FATEH) Mr. Hamad was born in 1944 in Bayt Hanun, Palestine. Political Career PA Minister of Natural Resources from Jun 02 – Apr 03 and chair of Palestinian Energy Authority(from Feb 95.; Part of Palestinian delegation at Madrid talks; leading role in PECDAR(1994-6), before won seat to PLC(Jabalya) & ministerial appointment, initially as Minister of Housing. Career Dean of engineering faculty of Baghdad(1976 – 80) and Birzeit(1980 – 94) Universities. Education Mr. Hamad holds a PHD in electrical engineering from Wisconsin University – USA(1975). 7. JAMAL SHOBAKI – NO MINISTERIAL PORTFOLIO(FATEH) Mr. Shobaki was born in 1952 in Ithna, Palestine. He is a refugee from Bayt Jibrin, Palestine(now Beit Guvrin, Israel). He is married with three children. Political Career Mr. Shobaki’s political career began as an activist. A member of Fateh, he was imprisoned by Israel for ten years for his activism during the first Palestinian uprising against occupation. He is a member of the PLO Central Council, and a member of the Fateh Revolutionary Council. In 1996, he was elected to the PLC representing the Hebron District. He is head of the PLC Economic Committee, a member of the PLC Political Committee and a member of the PLC Political Prisoners Committee. Education Mr. Shobaki holds a B.A. in Geography(Beirut Arab University). 8. JAWAD TIBI – NO MINISTERIAL PORTFOLIO(FATEH) Dr. Tibi was born in 1959 in Khan Yunis – Gaza, Palestine Political Career A popular Palestinian lawmaker. A peace activist; member of Fateh, he was imprisoned by Israel for 8 years. Four of his brothers were killed by the Israeli military. Member of Palestinian Legislative Council, PLC – Khan Yunis District; Education and Social Affairs Committee Rapporteur, Refugee Affairs and Palestinians Abroad Committee. Career Physician, General Surgeon. Education MA in Surgery 9. NASR YOUSEF – MINISTER OF INTERIOR(FATEH) Born in Jiser alMajame' village near Bisan, Palestine in 1943. Political Career Public security commander of the police force/ head of National Security Forces in the PA areas, with the rank of Major-General; based at Lasarya, Gaza City. Become Fateh's commander of the Central Sector in Jordan(196871); a brigade commander in Lebanon, and as general in Palestinian National Liberation Army. Member of Fateh Central Committee since Aug. 89. Was slated by Mahmud‘Abbas for a new post of Minister for Administrative Reform in the new cabinet of Apr. 03. Education Major General Nasr Yousef holds a Master Degree in Islam History, University of Lebanon. Studied Military Science at the Military Faculty in the Soviet Union for two years. Trained through a leadership course for Fateh members in China. Ansprechpartnerin: Elisabeth Schumann-Braune Referat Naher/Mittlerer Osten und Nordafrika Hiroshimastraße 17, 10785 Berlin Elisabeth.Schumann@fes.de Tel: 030/ 26935-738 Fax: 030/ 26935-757 4