GAZA, Nov. 17 (UPI) -- Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia Wednesday set up a fact-finding commission to investigate the circumstances of Yasser Arafat's illness and death.
The Palestinian News Agency, WAFA, said the commission will be headed by the minister of health and include two representatives from the interior, foreign and justice ministries, general intelligence, Palestinian Red Crescent, the public prosecutor and Arafat's private doctor, Ashraf Kurdi, a Jordanian.
Arafat died last week at a French military hospital. Doctors ruled out cancer and poisoning as the cause of his illness. The French newspaper Le Figaro quoted French officials as saying they would have jumped on the case if any foul play had been suspected.
Earlier Wednesday, the Palestinian Fatah Movement rejected holding presidential elections before the causes of Arafat's illness and death are revealed.
A statement said the mainstream movement in the Palestine Liberation Organization will boycott elections to select a successor for Arafat unless the cause of death is released.
