Efforts to contain the Palestinian crisis, Mousa clings to his post

The Palestinian President Yasser Arafat yesterday met in Ramullah with his prime minister Ahmad Qurei' for four hours to solve the political and security crisis in the Palestinian territories.

Qurei' made no statements after the talks. The prime minister was due to return back later, to attend the meeting of the PLO executive committee chaired by Arafat.

The Palestinian negotiations affairs minister Saeb Oreikat said prior to the meeting that Qurei' is still " persistent to resign,"" noting that he had gave his written resignation to the President in protest of the security conditions prevailing in the country, but Arafat refused it once again.

For his part, the resigned chief of the Palestinian general intelligence lt. gen. Amin al-Hindi considered that certain security appointments do not meet the objective to dealing with the internal conditions and making internal reforms.

On the other hand, the new director general of the Palestinian security Lt. Gen. Mousa Arafat ruled out submitting his resignation from his post. He said " the one who appointed me can remove me," in reply to protests made against his appointment.

In a press conference held on the occasion of having his new post of office, he accused what he called the special group of reaching the security condition to this state of deterioration.

Following the new security changes, announced by the Palestinian President, thousands of Palestinians took the streets in protest of the decision. A group of demonstrators burnt the headquarters of the intelligence service in Khan Younis city.