First Qurei Government Explained

Cabinet Name:Palestinian Authority Government of October 2003
Flag:Flag of Palestine.svg
Flag Border:true
Date Formed:6 October 2003
Date Dissolved:12 November 2003
Government Head:Ahmed Qurei
State Head:Yasser Arafat
Members Number:8
Political Party:Independent
Previous:Palestinian Authority Government of April 2003
Successor:Palestinian Authority Government of November 2003
Legislature Status:Fatah-dominated PLC refused to hold a vote of confidence before the formation of the full Cabinet

The Palestinian Authority Government of October 2003 was an eight-member Palestinian Authority (PA) emergency government that was formed on 6 October and existed until 12 November 2003. It was headed by newly appointed Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei and established by presidential decree.

On 12 November 2003, the Cabinet was replaced by a 24-member government, also headed by Qurei.

Establishment

On 6 September 2003, Mahmoud Abbas resigned as Prime Minister and Ahmed Qurei was asked to become PM of an emergency government.[1] Following a suicide bombing in Haifa on 4 October, Israel threatened to "remove" Arafat and urged him to act within 48 hours.[2] The next day, Arafat created a new government by decree, before Qurei had accomplished his task to form a government.[3] [4] Initially, Qurei had planned to present a larger government to parliament for approval later in the week.

The emergency government was to serve for a month, with a possible one-month extension, unless Qurei could present a full-sized Cabinet to Parliament within a month.[5] The Fatah Central Committee agreed to the emergency Cabinet, but the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Legislative Council refused to hold a vote of confidence before the formation of the full Cabinet.[6]

In his decree, Arafat had named Nasser Yousef to become the Interior Minister of a nine-member cabinet.[7] However, Yousef was not sworn in. Palestinian sources said Yousef had refused to join the government because he was unhappy Arafat had appointed an emergency Cabinet instead of going through the normal channels. Other sources said he would be sworn in soon.[5] On 12 November 2003, however, Hakam Balawi was appointed Interior Minister in the next government. After Arafat's death, Nasser Yousef became at last Minister of Interior and National Security in the Palestinian Authority Government of February 2005.

Members of the Government

October to November 2003 [8] [5]

MinisterOfficeParty
1Ahmed Qurei
(Abu Ala)
Prime Minister, acting Waqf and Information Minister
2Salam FayyadFinance, acting Economy and Planning, Agriculture, Energy and Natural Resources MinisterIndependent
3Nabil ShaathForeign Affairs, acting Culture MinisterFatah
4Naim Abu Al HummusEducation, acting Labor MinisterFatah
5Saeb Erekatacting Justice and Tourism MinisterFatah
6Abdul Rahman HamadHousing and Public Works, acting Transportation, Telecommunication and TechnologyFatah
7Jamal ShobakiLocal Governance, acting Prisoners' Affairs and Sports and Youth MinisterFatah
8Jawad TibiHealth, acting Social Affairs MinisterFatah
Note:* Nasser Yousef was named Interior Minister, but not sworn in.|}

See also

References

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Notes and References

  1. http://news.sky.com/story/208841/us-warning-as-qurei-accepts-pms-role US Warning As Qurei Accepts PM's Role
  2. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/oct/07/israel Arafat swears in Palestinian cabinet
  3. https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/08/world/arafat-swears-in-new-palestinian-cabinet.html Arafat Swears In New Palestinian Cabinet
  4. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-oct-08-fg-mideast8-story.html Arafat Swears in Emergency Cabinet
  5. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/515037073/Arafat-swears-in-new-Palestinian-prime-minister-and-Cabinet.html?pg=all Arafat swears in new Palestinian prime minister and Cabinet
  6. http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/10/12/mideast/ Palestinian designate: Future as PM uncertain
  7. The Presidential Decree which formed the Emergency Government: Presidential Decree No. of 2003. JMCC, archived 15 December 2003
  8. https://web.archive.org/web/20060905105931/http://jmcc.org/politics/pna/newemerggov03.htm The PA Ministerial Cabinet List—Emergency Cabinet October 2003 - November 2003