RAMALLAH, West Bank ? Yasser Arafat convened his new, streamlined Cabinet Thursday at his West Bank headquarters, four days after Israeli tanks blockaded the complex and caused a delay.

Israel ended the blockade in Ramallah Wednesday, and Thursday five new ministers put their hands on a Quran and swore allegiance to the Palestinian Authority. The slimmer Cabinet down to 21 ministers from 31 came after Israel, the United States and Europe demanded that Arafat reform his corruption-ridden Palestinian administration.

One of the ministers who was held over from the previous Cabinet, Planning Minister Nabil Shaath, flew Thursday to Washington to provide Palestinian input for U.S. ideas for Mideast peacemaking. His trip came after Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon met President Bush and congressional leaders Tuesday.

Arafat said the new Cabinet must “guarantee the restructure of the ministries and institutions of the Palestinian Authority to be more efficient.” It also must “rebuild the damages caused by Israel’s escalating aggression,” he said.

Shaath left for Washington to meet with Bush administration officials a day after Secretary of State Colin Powell floated the idea of a provisional Palestinian state. Though unclear about exactly what he meant, Israeli and Palestinian officials did not rule out the idea.

Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said the concept resembled ideas brought up in his talks with Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qureia. Under their plan, which was never adopted officially by either side, Israel would recognize a Palestinian state in areas now under Palestinian control about 40 percent of the West Bank and two-thirds of Gaza and then the two sides would negotiate agreements on the touchiest outstanding issues, including borders, Jerusalem, Jewish settlements and Palestinian refugees.