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February 6, 2004/Shevat 14 5764, Vol. 56, No. 20
Palestinians deteriorate into anarchy
GIL SEDAN
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
JERUSALEM - "Yes, we are in a state of anarchy."
That is how Zayyad Abu-Zayyad, member of the Palestinian Legislative Council and a former Pal-estinian Authority Cabinet minister, describes life today in the areas ruled by the Palestinian Authority.
"Certainly when a Pale-stinian policeman cannot walk around freely wearing his uniform, this creates a vacuum in which everyone does whatever one pleases," he said.
The situation is becoming grave, Abu-Zayyad told JTA.
"We have people selling land that is not theirs, and our courts are unable to enforce the law. Everyone who has money can purchase as many arms as he wants and can do with them whatever he wants. There is strong collaboration between our mafia and the Israeli mafia," he said.
However, Abu-Zayyad distingui-shes between a state of anarchy and the possibility that the Palestinian Authority is on the verge of disintegration.
"The P.A. is not collapsing," he said. "Should it happen to collapse, it would certainly not be in Israel's interest; all extre-mists would go on a rampage."
A resident of the Jerusalem suburb of al-Azariyya, Abu-Zayyad is a close associate of P.A. Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei. Ac-cordingly, he re-lieves Qurei of any responsibility for the deterioration of affairs.
"No one helps him, neither" P.A. Presi-dent Yasser "Arafat, nor the Israelis nor the Americans. He still stays put, but I am not sure for how long," Abu-Zayyad said.
Israeli and American officials reportedly consider Qurei a tremendous dis-appointment. Perhaps be-cause he witnessed the fate of his predecessor Mahmoud Abbas - who tried to wrest real power from Arafat and was forced to resign within three months - Qurei has demonstrated virtually no leadership since taking office last fall, Israeli and American officials say.
Arafat finds himself under heavy pressure from Egypt to cope with the anarchy and create conditions that would enable a meeting between Qurei and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
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