Report: Arafat to resign following Israeli redeployment

The Egyptian daily al-Joumhouriyah said on Wednesday, quoting Palestinian sources, that Palestinian President Yasser Arafat said he will give up his post after securing an accord that provides for Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank.

The paper also quoted the Palestinian sources as saying that Arafat will resign for "health reasons," adding that the chairman of the legislative council, Ahmad Qrei', or chairman of the Palestinian National Council, Salim al-Zanoun, will succeed Arafat until a new Palestinian president is elected.