Reshuffle in Palestinian authority

Ambassador of Palestine to Russia Khairi al-Oridi has said that the current reshuffle in the Palestinian Authority "is not something extraordinary". He said this at a press conference in Moscow on Thursday.

Commenting on the alleged dismissal by Yasser Arafat of the chief of the West bank security force Jibril Rajub and Gaza police chief Gazi Jibali, al-Oridi noted that he does not negate or confirm reshuffle in the security bodies. "There is a reshuffle and its results will be published in a couple of days", said the Palestinian ambassador in Moscow.

As reported earlier, under a strong pressure from within and without Palestine, as well as from the international community, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has demoted the security chief of the West bank and the police chief of Gaza. Reports which arrived later said that no reshuffle in the leadership of the Palestinian National Authority has been made.

Noteworthily, Jibril Rajub is one of the best known politicians in the West bank and in 1997 Arafat even called him his successor. Gazi Jibali returned from exile together with Yasser Arafat and formed the Palestinian police, which he later headed. Under his guidance the Palestinian police actively cooperated with Israelis.