A stand by PLO regarding Palestinian leadership

The Saudi daily al-Watan said in its Monday's issue said that Arab and Palestinian sides, opposing the attitude of the chairman of the Palestinian authority are currently making secret and serious consultations to set up a stand by organization replacing the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian leadership in case this authority collapses as a result of the escalation of the Israeli aggressions against the West Bank and Gaza and if Arafat is forced to leave Ramullah abroad.

The paper added quoting well-informed Arab and European diplomatic sources as saying that the formation of this alternative new organization aims at withstanding Israel's plan to found a new Palestinian leadership that falls under its control and that this organization will include when it will be officially declared Hamas, the Islamic Jihad, the People's Front For the Liberation of Palestine, the People Front General Command and all Palestinian groups which oppose the peace process besides members from the Fatah movement that are ready to comply with the inclination of this organization.

The paper added that the a leading figure from Hamas residing abroad is among the first candidates to assume presidency of this new organization which will have a collective leadership including representatives from various groups, adding that this case is being arranged in deeply secret atmospheres and the sides concerned with it refuse to recognize this plan because of the sensitivity of this matter and also not to give the impression that there is "a Palestinian conspiracy against Arafat aiming at toppling him."