: 10.0pt"> The Palestinian Authority said it would hold new elections in January 2003 and that their constitution and laws implementing basic rights and freedoms would finally (after being "delayed" for years) be implemented. Although Arafat is described as the elected leader of the Palestinian Authority, that election was rigged, and there was little effort to hide the fact at the time. These items account for why Arafat is so unpopular among Palestinians. But there is a real possibility that free elections in 2003 could see an even more openly pro-terrorist man elected as head of the Palestinian Authority.