Changes to the Palestinian Cabinet, announced by President Yasser Arafat Wednesday, August 5, 1998

New Cabinet appointments:

• Hikmat Zeid - Minister of Agriculture, Legislative Council Member, affiliated to Fateh, from Jenin.
• Rafiq Al-Natsheh - Minister of Labour, Legislative Council Member, affiliated to Fateh, From Hebron.
• Sa'edi Al-Krunz - Minister of Industry, Legislative Council Member, affiliated to Fateh, From Gaza
• Yousef Abu Safieh - Minister of Environment, Legislative Council Member, affiliated to Fateh, from Gaza.
• Nabil 'Amr - Minister of Parliamant Affairs, Legislative Council Member, affiliated to Fateh, From Hebron.
• Hisham Abdul Raziq - Minister of State of Prisoners Affairs, Legislative Council Member, affiliated to Fateh, from Gaza.
• Munther Saleh - Minister of Higher Education, independent, from Nablus.
• Salah al-Ta'mari - Minister of State, Portfolio to be announced later, Legislative Council Member, affiliated to Fateh, from Bethlehem.
• Ziad Abu Zayad - Minister of State, Portfolio to be announced later, Legislative Council Member, affiliated to Fateh, From Jerusalem.
• Hassan Asfour - Minister of State, Legislative Council Member, independent, from Gaza.

Ministers who lost their portfolio and appointed as minister of state:

• Talal Sider, Hamas, from Hebron
• Abdul Jawad Saleh, Legislative Council member, independent, from al-Bireh.
• Bashir Bargouti, Palestinian People's Party, from Ramallah.

Ministers with portfolio change:

• Hanan Ashrawi, formerly minister of Higher Education, now Minister of Tourism and Antiquities (She replaced late Elias Freij).

Vacant portfolios:

• Ministry of Education
• Ministry of Waqf and Religious Affairs
• Ministry of Youths and Sports
• Ministry of Interior

Ministers excluded from the new cabinet:

• Yasser Amr, formerly Minister of Education.