Two Palestinians killed, Qrei puts final touches for his government
Palestine-Israel, Politics, 11/3/2003

Five Israelis were injured yesterday in Nablus, while two Palestinians were killed by the bullets of the Israeli soldiers, with news of a nearby agreement on a new Palestinian government chaired by Ahmad Qrei as the authority of his emergency government which he leads expires tomorrow.

The Islamic Jihad movement claimed responsibility for blowing up an explosive in Nablus that targeted an Israeli procession and this led to wounding five Israeli soldiers, one of them in a critical condition.

An Israeli military source stressed that one Israeli soldier was gravely wounded while other four were slightly wounded in the explosion which targeted their armored vehicle. The five soldiers belong to the Parachutists unit in al-Qasba quarters.

Al-Aqsa martyrs group of the Fatah movement claimed responsibility for the operation. Saraya al-Quds, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad movement, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement which stressed also that one Israeli soldier was killed in the explosion.

An Israeli source said that a "Qassam" missile fell in an open area near one of the southern quarters in Sdeirout city, but no casualties were reported.

In Nablus, a Palestinian source said that Muhammad Hamad ( 23 year old) was hit in his chest when Israeli soldiers opened fire indiscriminately in the place.

Meanwhile, a high ranking Palestinian official said that prime minister Ahmad Qrei is putting the final touches for the formation of the plenary new government. Member of the central committee of the Fatah movement Abbas Zaki said that the prime minister ( Qrei) is putting the final touches and, "we, in the central committee, are waiting to receive the final list in order to discuss it and give our support to it."

On the nature of the formation of the new plenary government, several sources said it will include some 24 ministers, 15 of them are from Fatah movement and the others are from national groups in the PLO and independents. The sources indicated the possibility of introducing new young faces in the new formation, especially parliamentarian Qaddoura Fares from the Ramullah area and one of the Fatah's local officials and parliamentarian Hatem Abdul Qader from Jerusalem.

The sources indicate that the current ministers of the emergency government will stay in the new formation especially Nabil Shaath in the foreign ministry and Jamal al-Shawbaki in the local rule ministry as well as Saeb Oreikat. Yasser Abd Rabbu is also expected to acquire the post of the minister of information.

Previous Stories:
  Confrontation between Palestinians, Israel   (11/1/2003)
  News on nearby meeting between Sharon, Qrei   (11/1/2003)
  New York Times: Israel's top military man criticizes Israeli policy against Palestinians   (10/30/2003)
  One Palestinian killed; Qrei assigned to form new cabinet   (10/30/2003)
  Qrei looms to resign after the one month emergency government   (10/13/2003)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search