New Palestinian PM
won't stop terror

Like his predecessor, newly appointed Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia appears unwilling to fulfill a key requirement of the U.S.-backed "road map to peace," stating he will not use force to reign in Hamas and other terrorist groups.

"We will not confront, we will not go for a civil war," Qureia said, according to the London Independent newspaper. "It's not in our interest. It's not in the interest of our people, and it's not in the interest of the peace process."

Qureia maintained, nevertheless, he still is committed to the road map.

"We are ready ... to sit with [Israel] to discuss reaching a comprehensive ceasefire," he said, according to the London paper.

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But he also stated: "I will not listen to the Americans. I will listen to our national rights."

The road map is a phased plan drafted by the U.S., European Union, United Nations and Russia that requires the PA in the first stage to implement administrative reforms and cease terrorist attacks. The plan calls eventually for a Palestinian state followed by a final-status agreement addressing issues such as borders, Jerusalem and refugees.

Qureia made his remarks the day after Israel launched a strike on a terrorist training camp near the Syrian capital, Damascus, in response to a Palestinian suicide attack that killed 19 people in Haifa Saturday.

Israel said the camp was used by the group responsible for the attack, Islamic Jihad. The Independent reported, however, villagers near the site claimed it was a militant training camp but had been deserted for many years.

Qureia was ushered into office under a state of emergency, which allowed President Yasser Arafat to appoint him and an eight-member emergency cabinet without a decision from the Palestinian Legislative Council.

His predecessor, Mahmoud Abbas, who negotiated a unilateral ceasefire with the militants, was an unpopular leader, regarded by many Palestinians as a tool of the United States and Israel. Qureia obviously is trying to avoid that impression, analysts say, asserting himself as uncompromising.

Meanwhile, Israel celebrated the Yom Kippur holiday yesterday, which also marked the 30th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, sparked when Egypt and Syria launched surprise attacks on Israeli-occupied territories.

Yesterday, an Israeli solider was killed near the Lebanese border during an exchange of fire with either Hezbollah guerillas or Palestinian militants, according to the Voice of Lebanon radio station.