Palestinian Authority Government of June 2002

Background

Pursuant to the Oslo Accords, the authority of the PA Government is limited to some civil rights of the Palestinians in the West Bank Areas A and B and in the Gaza Strip, and to internal security in Area A and in Gaza.

While Israel since the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993 continued establishing and expanding settlements throughout the Palestinian territories (including in Gaza until 2005) and refused to withdraw as stipulated in the Oslo Accords, President Arafat was reluctant to transfer power, and opposition was growing from within and outside his own party.

After the collapse of the Israeli–Palestinian peace negotiations, the Second Intifada broke out and in an Israeli military operation in April 2002, Israel re-occupied all West Bank areas where the PA was supposed to exercise limited self-government. The Palestinian Authority infrastructure was largely destroyed and in June 2002, after further extensive destruction, President Arafat was held hostage in his Mukataa in Ramallah for the second time within a few months. In June 2002, the Israeli Government definitely approved the West Bank barrier, largely built within the Palestinian territories and endangering the contiguity of the future Palestinian state.

Prelude to the Government

On 16 May 2002, the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) had presented Arafat a list of recommended changes that would radically overhaul the way the Palestinian Authority operates, and it demanded presidential and legislative elections within a year. The PLC recommended that Arafat's current government resign and that Arafat appoint a smaller government within 45 days. It also called on him to sign the Basic Law. In his response, President Arafat said that no elections would be held until Israel fully withdraws from the territories in the region where the Oslo Accords call for full or partial control by the Palestinians (Areas A and B). On 29 May 2002, however, he signed the Basic Law, the final draft of which already had been approved by the Legislative Council in 1997.

Since the establishment in 1996 of the first PA government approved by an elected Parliament, there had not been rules about the term of the Government. Ministers were just appointed and dismissed by President Arafat, whose own term was the interim period of the Oslo Accords. Also, the 2002 Basic Law itself only applied to the interim period as determined in the Oslo Accords. According to the Law, the Legislative Council (who should approve the Government) as well as the President of the Palestinian Authority (who should appoint the Ministers) were envisioned to remain in function until the end of the interim period, which had been ended on 5 July 1999. When Arafat on 29 May 2002 signed the 2002 Basic Law, the interim period had thus already been ended and the Government of June 2002 still not been appointed.

Formation of the Cabinet

Early June 2002, Arafat intended to announce a new, smaller Cabinet. He asked the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine and Hamas to join the Government, but all refused. While Arafat was building a new Cabinet, the Israeli army raided Ramallah and started a new siege on Arafat's headquarters. On 11 June, the siege was strengthened with the support of US President George W. Bush. Then, the first meeting of the new Cabinet was cancelled.

End of the Cabinet

Members of Fatah demanded the dismissal of some Cabinet ministers seen as corrupt or incompetent. On 11 September 2002, Arafat would present a new Cabinet to Parliament for approval, but a group of Fatah lawmakers threatened to vote against the Cabinet, despite pressure by their leader. The Fatah representatives were willing to limit their vote to five new ministers only. As a compromise, Arafat announced by Presidential decree presidential and parliamentary elections in the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem to hold on 20 January 2003. As a consequence, the current Cabinet would only be a temporary one. Members of the Cabinet submitted their resignations and the vote on the new Cabinet Arafat initially wanted to present was canceled. According to Palestinian Law, the Parliament had to be dissolved 90 days before the elections.

A reshuffled temporary cabinet was approved, with the intention to remain until new elections would have been held. Six ministers left the Government. The Interior, the Justice and the Health Minister were replaced with new members. The total number of Ministries was decreased with one. The Telecommunication Ministry was merged with the Transportation Ministry of Mitri Abu Eita. The Ministries of Civil Affairs and of Youth and Sports were replaced with the two new Ministries Orient House Director and Prisoners Affairs.

New elections, however, did not take place. The new Cabinet remained in function until the 2003 Basic Law came in force in March 2003 and the political system was changed. Also, the Parliament was not dissolved.

Members of the Government

June to September 2002