Military

DATE=2/14/03

TYPE=INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT

TITLE=ROSEMARY HOLLIS

NUMBER=3-541

BYLINE=PAT BODNAR

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

CONTENT=

/// THIS IS THE FIRST OF TWO INTERVIEWS. THE SECOND WILL BE RELEASED SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15TH. THIS INTERVIEW IS AVAILABLE IN DALET UNDER SOD/ENGLISH NEWS NOW INTERVIEWS IN THE FOLDER FOR TODAY OR YESTERDAY. ///

HOST: Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat said Friday he has decided to appoint a prime minister -- a key reform demanded by international bodies trying to end violence between Israelis and Palestinians. Mr. Arafat made the announcement after meeting with diplomats from the European Union, United Nations and Russia. Mr. Arafat did not say who would be named prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, when the appointment would take place or what powers the prime minister would have.

Rosemary Hollis is the Director of the Middle East Program at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London. Dr. Hollis tells News Now's Pat Bodnar that Mr. Arafat may be trying to stall for time.

MS. HOLLIS: It could well be that Yasser Arafat is trying to preserve his position and his role and, if so, then the Israelis and the United States will not find this measure acceptable. The European position on this is that they would like an elegant way to move Yasser Arafat to the side, to move him into a ceremonial presidency, and have a really powerful executive prime minister. My sense is that, for the Israelis and the Americans, even that is not enough.

MS. BODNAR: Any timetable for this political move?

MS. HOLLIS: In the road map, which is on hold at the moment and likely to remain on hold for the duration of the war with Iraq, there are calls for a new Palestinian constitution and there are calls very specifically for a parliamentary system, not a presidential system, for the Palestinians. Which suggests that there will be no role for Arafat once that road map is activated, if indeed it is.

MS. BODNAR: Would the move address some of the concerns and allegations about corruption and incompetence in the Palestinian Authority?

MS. HOLLIS: There has been pressure from inside the Palestinian Authority since as long ago as last May to get Arafat to appoint a prime minister and then pass to that office the powers that he currently holds himself. Because I think that will be good for efficiency and I also think it will be good for their image abroad. However, since President Bush called for the Palestinians to reform but to vote out of office Arafat, they find it very difficult on the Palestinian side to be seen to do that bidding. They want some kind of way to finesse this.

MS. BODNAR: And back to the issue of the criticism from the United States, from Israel, from the European Union, is this going to calm the criticism that Mr. Arafat hand over power?

MS. HOLLIS: My sense is that this will not be enough for the critics of the Palestinian Authority. Some of them want it so thoroughly reformed that it will be unrecognizable, it will be starting from scratch. On the Palestinian side within the Authority, they would like to reform themselves, and this is one of the mechanisms that they will position to use. If it isn't enough for the donor community and for the big powers that are going to make peace happen or not, then they will have to come up with more.

Host: Rosemary Hollis is the Director of the Middle East Program at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London. She spoke with News Now's Pat Bodnar.

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