Hanan Ashrawi** held a press conference to resign in protest for Arafat appointment the new cabinet yesterday; following are the main excerpts:

I've had a very long and candied discussion with President Arafat… I respectfully declined from this appointment because I feel the whole issue of comprehensive and pervasive reform that is needed is not being met by this new cabinet and was not a question of adding more people to the cabinet and keeping the old the same the question was not changing the ministry of higher education the real issue is whether we can build institutions that can insure internal empowerment to face external challenges and I've though very long about this decision and I'm convinced this does not, this new formation, respond to the public demand and to the genuine need for this type of reform. The cabinet position is not a lifetime tenure and I believe that president Arafat should be free to reshuffle to reform the cabinet to change the people in accordance to need. We have to send a message to the Palestinian people and to the world at large that we are in the process of building a contemporary state with full rule of law and accountability with professionalism with responsibility to ensure also the rights and the freedoms of the Palestinian people and to face the external challenges that we are facing particularly in view of the current Israeli government and the policies that specifically seek to destroy the peace process.

I remain willing to help and to contribute in every possible way but I recline respectfully from any official position in the cabinet I will remain in the legislative council I am prod to be an elected member for Jerusalem and I will continue to work for all those principles to which I continue to adhere whether in terms of human rights or rule of law or building efficient and professional institutions…

The whole issue of political decision making has in a sense been reduced to a few people. The last two weeks, it was not secret, I didn't give any political statements because I wan in disagreement with what has been happening politically and in negotiations.

I believe that the American administration rather than face up to its helplessness and powerlessness before Israel, its inability to put pressure on the Israeli government rather than face up to Israeli violations and illegal actions is putting pressure on the Palestinians and we are being dragged into a situation whereby we are dealing with new terms of reference, new realities bearing the consequences of the American inability to support its responsibility in the peace process and to stand up to Israel.

I am not in full agreement with the political decision making and the conduct of negotiations, very frankly. I believe that we have a self-corrective instruments have not been activated in order to send the proper message.

** On August 5, 1998 President Arafat announced the new Palestinian ministerial changes. Minister of higher education Hanan Ashrawi (Fateh) is to be given the tourism and antiquities portfolio, Dr. Munther Salah (independent), president of al-Najah University, is to take Ashrawi's place as minister of higher education.