DATE=9/29/2003

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=ISRAEL/PALESTINIANS (L)

NUMBER=2-308014

BYLINE=ROSS DUNN

DATELINE=JERUSALEM

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Outgoing Palestinian Security Minister Mohammed Dahlan says armed attacks against Israelis have set back the goal of achieving Palestinian independence. Ross Dunn reports from Jerusalem, the remarks were made on the third anniversary of the Palestinian uprising, the intifada, against Israel. .

TEXT: Mr. Dahlan strongly criticized what he called the militarization of the Palestinian intifada that began on September 28th, 2000.

He says that resorting to armed violence in the past three years had proved harmful to what he called the Palestinian national struggle.

Mr. Dahlan says the various Palestinian militant groups had failed to understand that the world had changed following the September 11th, 2001 terror attacks against the United States.

In an interview with the Daily Star newspaper in Lebanon, he says armed attacks allowed Israel to brand the current Palestinian rebellion as a form of terrorism. As a result, Mr. Dahlan says, Palestinians failed to gain strong international support for the uprising.

Mr. Dahlan spoke a day after Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's Fatah faction left him out of the list of candidates being drawn up for the next Palestinian cabinet.

The new cabinet will be led by Palestinian Prime Minister-designate Ahmed Qureia. He will replace Mahmoud Abbas, who resigned earlier this month after losing a power struggle with Mr. Arafat over control of the security forces.

Mr. Dahlan accused the leadership of Mr. Arafat's Fatah Party of discrediting Mr. Abbas and bringing down his government.

Mr. Dahlan has been replaced by an Arafat loyalist, Nasser Yousef, who will serve as interior minister, a job that gives him partial control over the security forces.

Most of the security forces will be commanded directly by Mr. Arafat himself.

In another development, Saeb Erekat, has reportedly turned down an offer to continue as minister in charge of negotiations with Israel. (SIGNED)

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