MIDDLE EAST: The Palestinian leadership has been holding constant consultations since the Palestinian President, Mr Yasser Arafat, was airlifted to a Paris hospital last Thursday. On Saturday, Mr Mahmud Abbas, deputy head of the ruling party, Fateh, chaired a meeting of the movement's central committee.
Mr Abbas did not, however, take Mr Arafat's seat at the head of the table in order to demonstrate that his absence is temporary. Yesterday, Mr Ahmad Qurei, the prime minister, presided over a gathering of the National Security Council.
Both men called for "Palestinian unity". Meanwhile the cabinet is "carrying on normally", the Minister of Labour and Planning, Dr Ghassan Khatib told The Irish Times. He said that Mr Abbas and Mr Qurei, would "work together as long as they remain number two to Arafat's number one", indicating that there could be a power struggle if Arafat were no longer on the scene.
The expectation amongst Palestinians is that Mr Abbas, the former prime minister, would be likely to succeed. As a co-founder of Fateh, he has a political base and is generally liked while Mr Qurei is not popular.
Dr Hanan Ashrawi, legislator and former spokeswoman, said that the leadership was determined to maintain unity and function normally in order to "send a message to the Palestinian people not to lose hope", and to Israel and the international community that Mr Arafat's absence would not bring chaos and anarchy.
"The prime minister, the cabinet, and the National Security Council are carrying on in precisely the same way as in any president's absence."
Dr Ashwari said, however, that "no major political decisions can be taken" while Mr Arafat was incapacitated as "this would be seen as usurping his powers".
She said that tests had shown that Mr Arafat did not have leukaemia. She said that doctors were investigating for "toxicity" problems with medications, and infections.
Yesterday, the Israeli press reported that he may have lost mental acuity during the crisis period and could not recognise some of his aides.
Dr Mahdi Abdel Hadi, head of the Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs (Passia), observed that although the Palestinian leadership was standing together, Israel was "calling the shots". Only Israel could change the situation.
Since Israeli Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon has rejected Mr Arafat as a partner, negotiations have been suspended. Now that Mr Arafat is out of the country for at least a month and is not in direct charge for the time being, Dr Abdel Hadi said "Israel could carry out confidence-building by resuming contacts with the present leadership, lifting the siege, freeing 1,000 of the 7,500 political prisoners, and restoring a semblance of normal life to the territories. This would show that Israel is interested in a settlement and that things can be different".
Dr Abdel Hadi, a critic of Mr Arafat, said that if Israel failed to take this opportunity it would show that it was not interested in a settlement.