Hospital denies Arafat is dead

[Fluffybunny]

PARIS, France (CNN) -- The French military hospital housing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat denied reports that he had died Thursday, saying he had been transferred to another department for treatment more appropriate to his condition.

A hospital spokesman said the 75-year-old Arafat was moved the day before because his condition had become more complex.

Senior Palestinian officials in Paris told CNN that Arafat was in critical condition in intensive care after drifting in and out of consciousness throughout the night.

Sources close to the Palestinian leadership told CNN's Christiane Amanpour that Arafat was not clinically dead, as some media have reported, but he is not registering things, is not recognizing people and is not speaking.

The sources also said the Palestinian leader's mental faculties had deteriorated in the past week.

The confusion over Arafat's health extended to Washington. Told about reports that the Palestinian leader had died U.S. President George W. Bush told reporters: "My first reaction is, God bless his soul.

"My second reaction is that we will continue to work for a free Palestinian state that is at peace with Israel."

Meanwhile, the Israeli military has been placed on high alert and Palestinian security forces are reviewing their plans to keep Palestinian territories calm in the event of Arafat's death.

On Thursday afternoon, French President Jacques Chirac was allowed to briefly visit Arafat's room. He also spent about a half hour with Suha Arafat, the Palestinian leader's wife.

Arafat's senior adviser, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, dismissed reports that the 75-year-old leader was in a coma, calling them "rumors."

"He is in the intensive care unit, as I said, because he is in need of several very advanced tests in the coming hours and days," Abu Rudeineh said.

In Ramallah, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei told reporters Thursday that Arafat was in stable but serious condition and still required urgent medical attention.

"He's under treatment in very honest hands, our friends the French," he said.

Palestinian Cabinet Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo said the Cabinet was "concerned now with the health of Chairman Arafat and we hope that he will overcome his illness."

A source close to Arafat told CNN the Palestinian leader was "OK and he's resting" and denied reports that he had lost consciousness. Another senior Palestinian source said Arafat had been medicated before tests Thursday morning and had simply slept through the night.

Link

The French military hospital housing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat denied reports that he had died Thursday, saying he had been transferred to another department for treatment more appropriate to his condition.

Let's just hope that the "other department" was the morgue, and the "treatment" was embalming

[Angelofmercy]

yeah, I heard he was in a coma and not expected to recover

Hopefully that will be a good thing for peace in the middle east

[Fluffybunny]

On the evening news they had a clip from Arafats representative. The guy was saying that Arafat was "just resting".

The first thing that came to mind was Saddams information minister telling everyone that America had not made it into Iraq when we were in the middle of bombing baghdad...

So I think that "Just Resting" is equivalent to "Dirt Nap" in Arafat-ese...

[Babs]

What's with this guy? Now he's okay? Would they tell us if he died?

[CatAstrofix]

Even if Arafat was to recover from the coma that he's said to be in, would he ever be able again to return to his duties, I don't think so. His death or subsiding could be a good thing for the peace in middle east, but it could also create disaster. It depends completely who's taking over after him. There should be a strong leader to stand out and take control. I believe that a country without a leader is more dangerous than a country with bad leader. Anything that creates more confusion among ppl also gives opportunities for the extreme and fanatic groups to strengthen their power.

[Dowdy]

Even if Arafat was to recover from the coma that he's said to be in, would he ever be able again to return to his duties...

in "duties" you mean ordering sucide attacks

[AztecInca]

Well its obvious he hasn`t got long left if he stills alive and he could never pick up from where he left off, its over for him now and maybe the world will become a better place although i doubt it!

[CatAstrofix]

Even if Arafat was to recover from the coma that he's said to be in, would he ever be able again to return to his duties...

in "duties" you mean ordering sucide attacks

342605[/snapback]

No, that't not what I had in mind, but ofcourse you're entitled for your own point of view

[twpdyp]

Arafat moved to another department, I hope it is the department that handles corpses.....

[Angelofmercy]

Would they tell us if he died? That's a good question.

I guess it depends on if the next in line to be Palestinian Leader has a good handle on the situation. Of if a couple people in line for that job have to die so that the next one is who they want.

I admit my ignorance of Middle East Politics, but I do know that everyone hopes that a new leader can bring more peace and less death