DEBKAfile reports that Arafat’s second puppet prime minister, Ahmed Qurei (who uses the nom de guerre Abu Ala), is about to resign after discovering that the Palestinian Authority is flat broke: Abu Ala Tells Arafat: Enough Is Enough. (Hat tip: Queen Esther.)

Last weekend, Ahmed Qureia aka Abu Ala became the second Palestinian prime minister to warn Yasser Arafat he was about to resign. He determined to throw in the sponge after discovering that the Palestinian Authority’s coffers were bare. There was nothing left to meet the January 1 payroll for 80,000 public workers and security personnel. In fact the PA has no operating funds at all.

Arafat, according to DEBKAfile’s Palestinian sources, greeted the threat in stony silence.