Israeli report on Arafat's succession

Israeli intelligence sources expressed their conviction that the position of Yasser Arafat, the chairman of the Palestinian authority, has been damaged and it is probable that he will leave the Palestinian areas by the ultimate end.

The Israeli radio said on Wednesday that a secret report prepared by intelligence sides said that the Palestinian authority has lost its ability to deter the Hamas movement and that there are pressures inside Fatah movement to limit "Arafat's authority."

The report stresses, despite all that, there is not figure in this current phase which expressed its readiness to succeed Arafat. The report indicated that even if Arafat is given a symbolic position he can interfere the work of his successor.