Ramallah, Oct 06: Yasser Arafat installed a seven-member emergency cabinet today, with Ahmed Qureia as Prime Minister, in an apparent move to deflect possible Israeli action against him following a suicide bombing a day earlier. Arafat's special decree meant that Qureia took office as Prime Minister, effective from today. Qureia, who had been tapped for the job last month, had initially planned to present a larger cabinet to Parliament for approval on Wednesday, after weeks of consultations.

``Taking into consideration the difficult situation of the Palestinian people and the necessities imposed by the situation, President Arafat issued a presidential decree by which he declared a state of emergency ... and formed an emergency government headed by me,'' Qureia told the Associated Press. Qureia said three portfolios had been assigned: Nabil Shaath as Foreign Minister, Salam Fayad as Finance Minister and Nasser Yousef as interior minister. He listed the other four members of the cabinet as Saeb Erekat, Nabil Abul Hummus, Jamal Shobaki and Abdel Rahman Hamad, and said they would be given their assignments later.

Bureau Report