They said that the leadership would consist of former Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei and Chairman Salem Zanoun of the Palestine National Council.

"The three leaders would be leading the temporary leadership of the Palestinian people in case President Arafat, who is fighting death, is officially declared dead," said the sources.

However, according to the Palestinian charter, or basic law, thespeaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), Rawhi Fatouh,should be the temporary chairman of the PNA for 60 days until general and presidential elections are held.

But Palestinian politicians said that since Fatouh does not represent any political heaviness on the Palestinian political stage, Abbas, better known as Abu Mazen, and Qurei would remain the luckiest candidates to rule the PNA.

Abu Mazen is the second man in the Palestine LiberationOrganization (PLO) and its Executive Committee's general secretary,and he is considered the man who would lead the Palestinians after Arafat.

Qurei is the second man who leads the PNA and the Council for National Security.

Fatouh is the speaker of the PLC, and is trusted by Arafat.Fatouh was elected as the speaker in March to replace Qurei.

Fatouh, originally from Rafah refugee camp, returned to Gazaafter living for 30 years in exile and served as the minister of agriculture in previous cabinets.

It is difficult to hold the general and presidential electionsdue to Israeli closures on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.