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Israel will allow Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to be buried in the West Bank city of Ramallah, despite earlier opposition to the move, the Haaretz newspaper quoted Israeli political sources as saying Tuesday evening.
The sources said that Israel would not object to Arafat's burial in Ramallah, if the Palestinians request it. Nonetheless, Israel prefers Arafat to be buried in the Gaza Strip, where some of his family members' graves are located, due to security concerns.
Senior Palestinian officials Tayeb Abdel Rahim and Saeb Erekat said on Tuesday that Arafat will be buried in his Muqata headquarters in Ramallah, where Arafat had been confined by Israel for more than two years.
The Palestinians are reportedly planning to make part of the Muqata a mausoleum.
Meanwhile, Israel has insisted that Arafat not be buried at the Temple Mount or in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Abu Dis.
(Xinhua News Agency November 10, 2004)
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