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Arafat in feud with top aide, intelligence chief

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Tuesday, July 10, 2001

JERUSALEM Ñ Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat is said to be facing opposition from several of his key aides.

Israeli and Palestinian sources said the policy differences Ñ aired in talks with U.S. officials Ñ caused Arafat to break off communications with his leading aide, PLO Executive Committee secretary Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian intelligence chief Amin Hindi and PA security chief Jibril Rajoub.

The sources said the dispute between the two Palestinian figures began in April when Abbas Ñ in the United States for medical treatment Ñ was invited to Washington to meet senior Bush administration officials, including Secretary of State Colin Powell. Abbas was said to have criticized Arafat's handling of the Palestinian war against Israel and voiced his belief that the violence has turned counterproductive.

The discussion was leaked to both Israel as well as Arafat, Middle East Newsline reported. Arafat, the sources said, confronted Abbas on his return to Ramallah and the two men engaged in a heated argument. Since then, the sources said, Arafat has stopped talking to Abbas.

The result, the sources said, is that Arafat refuses to invite the PLO secretary to key meetings. Arafat's boycott has extended for at least two months and he has rejected Abbas's appeals for a reconciliation.

The Arafat-Abbas rift comes as Israeli sources report of Palestinian plans to resume bombing attacks in Israeli cities. On Monday, Palestinian gunners renewed mortar attacks in the Gaza Strip and a deputy company commander was killed by a Palestinian bomb.

The sources said Hindi and Rajoub share the criticism of Arafat. As a result, Arafat has voiced his concern that Washington and Israel are planning to unseat him.

Palestinian sources said Arafat is planning to reshuffle his Cabinet to bolster his support. They said up to six ministers could be replaced and some of them could be replaced by Hamas members.

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