Arafat's choice ready to step in Abbas' shoes

The president chose Korei, the parliamentary speaker, to replace Mahmoud Abbas, who quit on Saturday after four months in power saying Arafat and Israel had obstructed his peace efforts and the United States had not given him enough backing.

"Abu Ala (Korei) said that in principle he has no objection but he doesn't want to face the same Israeli obstacles that Abu Mazen (Abbas) has faced," presidential aide Nabil Abu Rdeinah said yesterday as Arafat and Korei met in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Tap Here to Add The Daily Star As A Trusted Source

The European Union swiftly voiced support for Korei, a moderate former peace negotiator. But Israel and the United States made no detailed comment on his nomination as the fate of a US-backed Middle East peace plan hung in the balance.

The United States hopes that resolving the long-running Palestinian political crisis will help salvage the peace "road map" which sets out steps to end violence and create a Palestinian state, but critics say it may be beyond repair.

Korei, 65, made clear he did not want to set himself up to repeat Abbas's failure, but Palestinian political insiders said they expected him to formally accept the job soon.