Ahmed Qurei
Tenders resignation
A Palestinian parliament session has been delayed indefinitely amid reports of further internal dissension in the administration.
New Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei had been expected to outline plans to relaunch the peace process and prepare for new elections.
The acting Speaker, Ibrahim Abu al-Naja, said today that because of differences in opinion about the government, it had been decided to postpone the session indefinitely.
The Prime Minister is reported to have told President Yasser Arafat he wants to quit his post. An official said Mr Qurei told the President he would not form the cabinet and did not want to be Prime Minister any longer.
Officials said Mr Arafat wanted to dismiss Interior Minister Nasser Youssef, who would have security powers, and that Mr Qurei opposed the move.
Suicide bombing in West Bank
The row comes as a Palestinian suicide bomber is reported to have wounded at least two Israelis, one seriously, in an explosion near a checkpoint in the northern West Bank town of Tulkarem. The blast killed the bomber.
