Ahmad Qurei

Palästinensischer Ministerpräsident von 2003 - 2006

Otherwise known as Abu Ala, was born in the nearby Jerusalem neighborhood Abu Dis in 1937. He joined Fatah in 1965. For several years he was head of the PLO economic department in Tunis and in 1989 became a member of the Central Fatah Committee.

In 1994 he returned to the Palestinian territories from Tunis. He was the leader of the Palestinian negotiations team between the Palestinians and Israel in Oslo. Qurei has been a prominent figure in the Palestinian Authority since its establishment. He has had close contacts with Israeli officials such as Uri Savir and Shimon Peres.

In February 2002 the Israeli army mistakenly shot at his car as he left a meeting with Yassir Arafat in Ramallah. He was not injured. Analysts say Qurei is a hawkish Arafat loyalist. He has good contacts with prominent Israelis, Americans and Europeans.

He is well-known among Palestinians and often visits refugee camps. Before the current violent outbreak, Qurei assured the Israelis that an acknowledgement of their responsibility in the Palestinian refugee crisis would not translate into a massive return.

Qurei has made a number of statements in recent years supporting the establishment of a Palestinian state with borders determined according to the U.N. Partition Plan of 1947 Resolution 181 of the U.N. General Assembly.

After the Camp David Summit in July 2000, Qurei spoke at the European government assembly and said that if a permanent settlement is not achieved, Jerusalems two halves will be united and it will become the world capital, subordinate to international sovereignty, according to a quote cited by MEMRI.

Qurei has in the past opposed terror attacks within Israel but supported attacks within the 1967 borders.

Israeli television broadcast archive pictures of Ahmad Qurei during a demonstration in which an Israeli flag was burnt. When the flames were put out, Qurei stamped on the flag and walked away.

Quelle: Financial Times