Ahmed Qurei
Encyclopedia
Ahmed Ali Mohammed Qurei (or Qureia; أحمد علي محمد قريع), also known by his Arabic Kunya
Abu Alaa (أبو علاء) (born March 26, 1937) is a former prime minister of the Palestinian Authority. First appointed to the position in October 2003, he tendered his resignation on January 26, 2006, following the defeat of the Fatah
party in the Palestinian legislative elections of 2006, and remained in office in a caretaker capacity until 19 February when he was succeeded by Ismail Haniya
. During his tenure as prime minister, he has also had responsibility for security matters. He has previously served as speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council
and held a variety of significant positions within the Palestine Liberation Organization
(PLO) from the 1970s on.
(near Jerusalem) in 1937 to a relatively wealthy family. He joined the Fatah, the largest of the political and military organizations making up the Palestine Liberation Organization
, in 1968. As a banker, he used his expertise during the 1970s as the director of the PLO's foreign investment branch and director-general of the PLO's economic branch, helping to make the organization one of the largest employers in Lebanon
. He followed Yasser Arafat
to Tunis
after the PLO was forced to leave Lebanon. As more senior leaders died, Qurei rose to prominence and was elected to the Fatah Central Committee in August 1989.
As a member of the Central Committee, Qurei was instrumental in negotiating the Oslo Accords
. Later, at Camp David (July 11 to 25, 2000), he took part in the negotiations with Ehud Barak
. He held various posts in the first Palestinian Authority cabinets including Minister of Economy & Trade and Minister of Industry. He was also responsible for a development plan for the Palestinian territories submitted to the World Bank in 1993. He also founded and became director of the Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction (PECDAR) in 1993 in order to help garner money from international donors. Soon after, he was elected to the PLC and was elected Speaker in March 2000.
(Abu Mazen) on September 6, 2003, Palestinian Authority president Yasser Arafat nominated Qurei to fill the post. He said he would only accept the job if Washington "guarantees Israeli compliance with a U.S.
-backed peace plan, including a halt to military strikes."
He was appointed by an emergency decree on October 5, 2003, sworn in on October 7, but already on October 12 threatened his resignation due to a dispute with Arafat over control of the security services. The emergency cabinet's term expired on November 4 and Qurei declared that he was willing to lead a new cabinet provided the support of the parliament could be obtained. He obtained this approval on November 12. On July 17, 2004, he submitted his resignation amid growing chaos in the Gaza Strip
characterized by the kidnapping of Palestinian security officials, including the Chief of Police for the Gaza Strip and five French
men. Arafat refused to accept his resignation, reportedly drawing a giant 'X' over Qurei's letter of resignation.
After Yasser Arafat
granted Qurei control over parts of the security apparatus, one of his requested powers in order to carry out reforms, Qurei retracted his resignation on July 27, 2004 stating: "I am satisfied that President Arafat is serious this time, that it is not just words but that this time there will be action." Arafat had retained control over the bulk of a dozen security services. Ahmed Qurei and other critics claim that these organizations exhibit internal corruption and lawlessness; United States-led mediators have blamed them for preventing the advance of the "Road map for peace
". Arafat acted after the Gaza Strip experienced an unprecedented explosion of public unrest and demands for reforms, including elections. http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=UIKOBLLSMJLF2CRBAEZSFEY?type=topNews&storyID=5786933
After Arafat's death and Mahmoud Abbas's subsequent victory in the Palestinian presidential election of 2005, Qurei was asked to continue in his post and form a new cabinet. Due to repeated demands by Fatah
officials and PLC members to make the new cabinet more reform-minded, the vote of confidence was repeatedly delayed. It was finally passed on February 24, 2005 after Qurei revised the list of ministers to accommodate these demands.
On December 15, 2005 Qurei briefly resigned his Prime Minister post to run for a seat in the Palestinian Parliament, but returned to office nine days later after deciding not to run. On January 26, 2006 Qurei announced his intention to resign following the Fatah party's defeat by Hamas
in the parliamentary elections
. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4649606.stm At the request of PNA President
, Mahmoud Abbas
, Qurei remained in office in a caretaker capacity until a successor was named.
Kunya (Arabic)
A kunya is a teknonym, the name of an adult derived from their child, especially their eldest son, in Arabic names.A kunya is expressed by the use of abū or umm in a genitive construction, i.e "father of" or "mother of" as a honorific in place of or alongside given names in the Arab world and the...
Abu Alaa (أبو علاء) (born March 26, 1937) is a former prime minister of the Palestinian Authority. First appointed to the position in October 2003, he tendered his resignation on January 26, 2006, following the defeat of the Fatah
Fatah
Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
party in the Palestinian legislative elections of 2006, and remained in office in a caretaker capacity until 19 February when he was succeeded by Ismail Haniya
Ismail Haniya
Ismail Haniyeh ; is a senior political leader of Hamas and one of two disputed Prime Ministers of the Palestinian National Authority, the matter being under political and legal dispute. He became Prime Minister after the legislative elections of 2006 which Hamas won...
. During his tenure as prime minister, he has also had responsibility for security matters. He has previously served as speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council
Palestinian Legislative Council
The Palestinian Legislative Council, the legislature of the Palestinian Authority, is a unicameral body with 132 members, elected from 16 electoral districts in the West Bank and Gaza...
and held a variety of significant positions within the Palestine Liberation Organization
Palestine Liberation Organization
The Palestine Liberation Organization is a political and paramilitary organization which was created in 1964. It is recognized as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" by the United Nations and over 100 states with which it holds diplomatic relations, and has enjoyed...
(PLO) from the 1970s on.
Early political career
Qurei was born in Abu DisAbu Dis
Abu Dis is a Palestinian town in the Jerusalem Governorate, bordering Jerusalem. Abu Dis is due east of the Jerusalem municipal border. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics , the town had a population of approximately 12,100 in mid-year 2006.-Ottoman era:Abu Dis was one of the...
(near Jerusalem) in 1937 to a relatively wealthy family. He joined the Fatah, the largest of the political and military organizations making up the Palestine Liberation Organization
Palestine Liberation Organization
The Palestine Liberation Organization is a political and paramilitary organization which was created in 1964. It is recognized as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" by the United Nations and over 100 states with which it holds diplomatic relations, and has enjoyed...
, in 1968. As a banker, he used his expertise during the 1970s as the director of the PLO's foreign investment branch and director-general of the PLO's economic branch, helping to make the organization one of the largest employers in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. He followed Yasser Arafat
Yasser Arafat
Mohammed Yasser Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini , popularly known as Yasser Arafat or by his kunya Abu Ammar , was a Palestinian leader and a Laureate of the Nobel Prize. He was Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization , President of the Palestinian National Authority...
to Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
after the PLO was forced to leave Lebanon. As more senior leaders died, Qurei rose to prominence and was elected to the Fatah Central Committee in August 1989.
As a member of the Central Committee, Qurei was instrumental in negotiating the Oslo Accords
Oslo Accords
The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles , was an attempt to resolve the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict...
. Later, at Camp David (July 11 to 25, 2000), he took part in the negotiations with Ehud Barak
Ehud Barak
Ehud Barak is an Israeli politician who served as Prime Minister from 1999 until 2001. He was leader of the Labor Party until January 2011 and holds the posts of Minister of Defense and Deputy Prime Minister in Binyamin Netanyahu's government....
. He held various posts in the first Palestinian Authority cabinets including Minister of Economy & Trade and Minister of Industry. He was also responsible for a development plan for the Palestinian territories submitted to the World Bank in 1993. He also founded and became director of the Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction (PECDAR) in 1993 in order to help garner money from international donors. Soon after, he was elected to the PLC and was elected Speaker in March 2000.
Prime minister
After the resignation of Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud AbbasMahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas , also known by the kunya Abu Mazen , has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah ticket.Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally...
(Abu Mazen) on September 6, 2003, Palestinian Authority president Yasser Arafat nominated Qurei to fill the post. He said he would only accept the job if Washington "guarantees Israeli compliance with a U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-backed peace plan, including a halt to military strikes."
He was appointed by an emergency decree on October 5, 2003, sworn in on October 7, but already on October 12 threatened his resignation due to a dispute with Arafat over control of the security services. The emergency cabinet's term expired on November 4 and Qurei declared that he was willing to lead a new cabinet provided the support of the parliament could be obtained. He obtained this approval on November 12. On July 17, 2004, he submitted his resignation amid growing chaos in the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
characterized by the kidnapping of Palestinian security officials, including the Chief of Police for the Gaza Strip and five French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
men. Arafat refused to accept his resignation, reportedly drawing a giant 'X' over Qurei's letter of resignation.
After Yasser Arafat
Yasser Arafat
Mohammed Yasser Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini , popularly known as Yasser Arafat or by his kunya Abu Ammar , was a Palestinian leader and a Laureate of the Nobel Prize. He was Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization , President of the Palestinian National Authority...
granted Qurei control over parts of the security apparatus, one of his requested powers in order to carry out reforms, Qurei retracted his resignation on July 27, 2004 stating: "I am satisfied that President Arafat is serious this time, that it is not just words but that this time there will be action." Arafat had retained control over the bulk of a dozen security services. Ahmed Qurei and other critics claim that these organizations exhibit internal corruption and lawlessness; United States-led mediators have blamed them for preventing the advance of the "Road map for peace
Road map for peace
The roadmap for peace or "road map" for peace is a plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict proposed by a "quartet" of international entities: the United States, the European Union, Russia, and the United Nations. The principles of the plan, originally drafted by U.S. Foreign Service...
". Arafat acted after the Gaza Strip experienced an unprecedented explosion of public unrest and demands for reforms, including elections. http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=UIKOBLLSMJLF2CRBAEZSFEY?type=topNews&storyID=5786933
After Arafat's death and Mahmoud Abbas's subsequent victory in the Palestinian presidential election of 2005, Qurei was asked to continue in his post and form a new cabinet. Due to repeated demands by Fatah
Fatah
Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
officials and PLC members to make the new cabinet more reform-minded, the vote of confidence was repeatedly delayed. It was finally passed on February 24, 2005 after Qurei revised the list of ministers to accommodate these demands.
On December 15, 2005 Qurei briefly resigned his Prime Minister post to run for a seat in the Palestinian Parliament, but returned to office nine days later after deciding not to run. On January 26, 2006 Qurei announced his intention to resign following the Fatah party's defeat by Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
in the parliamentary elections
Palestinian legislative election, 2006
On January 25, 2006, elections were held for the Palestinian Legislative Council , the legislature of the Palestinian National Authority . Notwithstanding the 2005 municipal elections and the January 9, 2005 presidential election, this was the first election to the PLC since 1996; subsequent...
. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4649606.stm At the request of PNA President
President of the Palestinian National Authority
The President of the Palestinian National Authority is the highest-ranking political position in the Palestinian National Authority ....
, Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas , also known by the kunya Abu Mazen , has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah ticket.Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally...
, Qurei remained in office in a caretaker capacity until a successor was named.