Rawhi Fattuh, speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), was sworn in on Thursday as the new temporary president of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and replaced late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.  

After the sworn-in ceremony, Fattuh said that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat led his people in a long precession of struggle in order to establish the independent Palestinian state.

"Arafat devoted all his life for the Palestinian cause and for reaching a peaceful permanent agreement that would guarantee getting back the legitimate rights of his people," said Fattuh.

Earlier, the PLC held an emergency meeting in Ramallah to nominate Fattuh as the temporary president of the PNA.

Hassan Khreisha, deputy speaker of the PLC, noted that while the place of the PNA president would be vacant in case the president dies or resigns, the speaker of the PLC would replace him for 60 days until general elections are held according to the basic law.

(Xinhua News Agency November 12, 2004)