Yesterday I predicted that Abu Alaa would call for another “cease fire” before the end of the week.

It took him one day to get around to it: Korei Says He Won’t Be PM Under ‘Israeli Dictate’. He’s also edging toward a declaration that he won’t use force against the terror gangs, and openly admits that Arafat is pulling his strings.

Korei called for a cease-fire agreement between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, rather than another unilateral truce by militants to ensure both sides keep their powder dry.

He said Palestinian leaders were committed to co-existence with Israel under the “road map” peace plan outlining steps to end nearly three years of violence and create a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip by 2005.

“But under these circumstances on the ground at the moment, and the way the Israelis are dealing with the elected president of the Palestinian people, I cannot succeed,” said Korei, the Palestinian parliamentary speaker and a veteran moderate.

“I want the Israelis to work for peace, not by the logic of power and force. No, (rather) by the logic of wisdom and co-existence.

But it looks like Israel has no more patience with these transparent Palestinian charades: Qorei must dismantle Palestinian militant groups: Israeli FM.

JERUSALEM (AFP) - Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom warned Palestinian prime minister-designate Ahmed Qorei will be judged by his willingness to dismantle the infrastructure of militant groups.

“His first step must be to make the strategic decision to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism,” Shalom said in the first official reaction from a senior Israeli minister on Qorei.

“We will judge any Palestinian Prime Minister by his actions. He will have to decide whether he stands with (Palestinian leader Yasser) Arafat or whether he stands against terrorism,” the statement said Tuesday.