Arafat Trims and Reshuffles Cabinet

June 10 -- Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat reshuffled and trimmed his cabinet on Sunday to 21 cabinet posts from 31, following intense pressure on the Palestinian leader to streamline the Palestinian Authority. Here are some of the changes.

The New Palestinian Council of Ministers

1. Yasser Abd Rabbo: Minister of Information and Culture

2. Nabil Shaath: Minister of Planning and International Co-operation

3. Salam Fayad, Minister of Finance

4. Maher al-Masri, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry

5. Abdel Razzek al-Yehiye, Minister of the Interior

6. Naim Abul Hummus, Minister of Education

7. Riad Zannun, Minister of Health

8 Saeb Erakat, Minister of Local Government

9. Ibrahim Dughmeh, Minister of Justice

10. Azzam al-Ahmad, Minister of Housing and Public Works

11. Intisar al-Wazir, Minister of Social Affairs

12. Rafiq al-Natsheh, Minister of Agriculture

13. Abdelrahman Hamad, Minister of Natural Resources

14. Ghassan al-Khatib, Minister of Labor

15. Nabil Qassis, Minister of Tourism

16. Imad al-Faluji, Minister of Telecommunications

17. Mitri Abu Eita, Minister of Transport

18. Jamil Tarifi, Minister of Civil Affairs

19. Abdel Aziz Shahin, Minister of Supply

20. Ali al-Kawashmeh, Minister of Youth and Sports

The 21st member of the Cabinet, a Minister of Awqaf [Religious Endowments], has yet to be appointed.

Cabinet and State Ministries Eliminated

Parliamentary Affairs

Bethlehem 2000

Non-governmental Affairs

Prisoner Affairs

Environment

Settlement Affairs

Cabinet Ministers Dropped

Hikmat Zeid (Agriculture)

Mohammad Zuhdi al-Nashashibi (Finance)

Munther Salah (Higher Education)

Saadi al-Krunz (Industry)

Freih Abu Meddein (Justice)

Nabil Amr (Parliamentary Affairs)

State Ministers Dropped

Youssef Abu Safiyeh (Environment)

Hisham Abdel-Razak (Prisoner Affairs)