Palestinians work to rekindle peace process
Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia yesterday called for a ceasefire with Israel and announced plans to hold general elections for his new parliament and presidency by June 2004.
Mr Qureia beseeched Israelis and Palestinians to end tit-for-tat attacks against civilians and reiterated his commitment to the US-backed “road map” for peace in the Middle East, calling for a truce ahead of new peace-building efforts.
President Yasser Arafat told Palestinian MPs in Ramallah in the West Bank that Israel had a right to live in peace alongside a future Palestinian state.
Mr Arafat said: “We do not deny the right of the Israeli people to live in security side by side with the Palestinian people also living in their own independent state.”
Israel’s premier Ariel Sharon welcomed the new government and said he wanted “to give him a chance to do the right thing.”
The announcement came as Palestinian MPs ratified a new 24-strong cabinet.
MPs voted 48-13 to confirm Mr Qureia’s cabinet after two months of power struggles.
The new cabinet is reportedly dominated by MPs loyal to President Yasser Arafat.
