Two Palestinian cabinet ministers have tendered their resignations, political sources said today, in a new blow to a government beset by militants demanding reform in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
"I have reached a point where I can do nothing amid all this ongoing chaos and unrest. Unfortunately, the situation is deteriorating by the day," Justice Minister Mr Nahed Al-Reyes said, saying he tendered his resignation on Wednesday and was awaiting confirmation from Prime Minister Mr Ahmed Qurie.
Senior Palestinian political sources said Planning Minister Mr Nabil Qasis had also resigned after accepting an offer to become president of a West Bank university. Mr Qurie approved Mr Qasis' resignation, which goes into effect next month, sources said.
Palestinian areas have been rocked by upheaval in the past few weeks, including kidnappings, street protests and gun battles between militants and security forces - the gravest internal challenge yet to President Yasser Arafat and Mr Qurie.
A senior Palestinian political source cited "conflicts over powers" as the reason for Mr Al-Reyes' resignation, adding that the justice minister felt Palestinian courts were not sufficiently independent of government oversight.
Calls for reform have multiplied amid a brewing factional struggle in Gaza, in anticipation of Israel's withdrawal of troops and settlers from the Strip in 2005 under a plan to "disengage" from 3 1/2 years of conflict with the Palestinians.
The departure of Mr Al-Reyes and Mr Qasis would be unlikely to threaten the government - under law, at least eight of the 24 ministers must leave for the government to fall - but is bound to embarrass a Palestinian leadership under international pressure to clean up corruption and reform security forces.
Israel had banned Palestinian police from carrying weapons in 2001, charging that they were involved in violence.
But on Thursday, Israel agreed to let some police carry handguns to help restore order in the West Bank and Gaza, which it occupied in the 1967 Middle East war and Palestinians want for a state.