Related: New Palestinian government sworn in

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei walks to the meeting hall of a session of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) in the West Bank city of Ramallah Feb. 24, 2005.  (Xinhua Photo/Wang Hao)

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei listens during a session of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) in the West Bank city of Ramallah Feb. 24, 2005. (Xinhua Photo/Wang Hao)

PLC overwhelmingly approved the list of a new cabinet submitted by Qurei on Feb. 24. A total of 54 PLC members voted in favor of the list while 10 deputies voted against it and four abstained. (Xinhua Photo/Wang Hao)

Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei is delivering a speech after he knew his nomination of the new cabinet has been approved. (Xinhua Photo/Wang Hao)

Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei is shaking hands with his colleagues to celebrate the approval of his nomination of the new cabinet. (Xinhua Photo/Wang Hao)

    RAMALLAH, Feb. 24 (Xinhuanet) -- The Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) Thursday overwhelmingly approved a new cabinet formed by Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei.

    A total of 54 PLC members voted in favour of the list, while 10deputies voted against and four abstained.

    The cabinet dominated by technocrats does not include members of the PLC.

    During a speech before the PLC, Qurei said the new cabinet would focus on security, reforms and elections.

    Security was the core of the cabinet's planks, Qurei said,adding his new lineup would continue efforts to carry out reforms and coordinate with the PLC and the electoral committee to assure a democratic atmosphere for free elections.

    Former cabinet minister Saeb Erekat was not included in the new government.

    "I'm a member of the PLC and I can't participate in this cabinet," Erekat told reporters.

    However, Erekat pledged support for the new cabinet, saying he would continue in his post as chief negotiator to concentrate on negotiations with Israel.

    The new cabinet roster emerged after the PLC delayed the vote of confidence for three days due to heated disputes over the cabinet makeup accused of lacking new faces.

     After adding more technocrats and excluding all PLC members, the lineup finally got approval from the parliament.

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