Israel prepares for Arafat's burial in Gaza

Israel has completed preparations for the ailing Yasser Arafat to be buried in the Gaza Strip, outlining plans to allow West Bank Palestinians to cross through Israel for the funeral and permitting enemy Arab leaders to attend, security officials said today.

The decision, announced by Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz, was the latest development in a possible battle over Arafat’s burial. With the Palestinian leader’s condition increasingly dire, where to bury him has become a sensitive issue.