Israeli Justice Minister Meir Sheetrit today called for sweeping reforms in Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority which he described as "corrupt and non-existent."
"The Palestinian Authority is corrupt and has become non-existent, because there is no law in the autonomous sectors, where armed gangs rule," he said in an interview with Israeli public radio.
"The Palestinians must give themselves a new leadership, and we must help them do so, because there are important social, economic and cultural problems to be resolved," Mr Sheetrit said.
He said Saudi Arabia, which has stepped up its role in the regional crisis in recent months, "must demand a new Palestinian leadership... The Arabs do not appreciate the actions of Yasser Arafat, who is giving a boost to fundamentalist elements in the Arab world."
AFP