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AMMAN, Jordan -- (AP) -- The government spokeswoman said Jordan has dispatched two helicopters to the West Bank to transport Yasser Arafat to the kingdom en route to Paris for medical treatment.

AP-ES-10-28-04 1545EDT

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RAMALLAH, West Bank -- (AP) -- Doctors say Yasser Arafat's blood tests have revealed a low platelet count.

AP-ES-10-28-04 1446EDT

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RAMALLAH, West Bank -- (AP) -- Palestinian doctors say they have decided to fly Yasser Arafat to a hospital in Paris.

AP-ES-10-28-04 1215EDT



In this picture released by the Palestinian Authority Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat holds hands with unidentified Jordaninan and Egyptian doctors at his compound Thursday Oct. 28, 2004. (AP Photo/Palestinian Authority, Hussein Hussein)

Arafat "very, very sick"

RAMALLAH - Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is "very, very sick" and is slipping in and out of consciousness, according to officials and medics.

The 75-year-old ex-guerrilla has for decades symbolised the struggle for Palestinian statehood.

He has suffered stomach pains since last week but took a dramatic turn for the worse on Wednesday. A team of foreign doctors is due to carry out tests on him.

Mr Arafat's slide into illness has raised fears of chaos among his people, whose struggle for a state in the West Bank and Gaza is stalled after a four-year-old uprising.

The short, stubble-bearded Palestinian icon, usually seen in his trademark black and white Arab headdress, has named no successor in the decade since leaving exile under interim peace accords for which he shared a Nobel peace prize.

Palestinian leaders rushed with medics to the battered compound where Mr Arafat has been effectively penned in by Israeli forces for more than two years.

Israel accuses him of fomenting violence after peace talks collapsed. Mr Arafat denies the charge.

Contingency plans

Medical sources say Mr Arafat suffered spells of unconsciousness and at other times appeared dazed and disoriented.

He was unable to eat nor drink without vomiting and was hooked up to an intravenous drip, officials said.

"He is really in a very, very serious condition, though we cannot say he is dying," one senior official said.

Contingency plans have been made to shift Mr Arafat to a hospital for treatment if need be before teams of US, Egyptian and Jordanian doctors arrive later in the day.

After visiting Mr Arafat at the compound, where hundreds of Palestinians gathered, Cabinet Minister Azzam al-Ahmad said: "He is in a stable condition but there is no improvement. He was joking with us. He needs more medication and tests."

Cabinet secretary Hassan Abu Libdeh earlier said Mr Arafat was "in critical condition".

One confidant says Mr Arafat prefers treatment at his shell-battered "Muqata" compound to either a Palestinian or foreign hospital. He feared Israel would never allow him to return.

Comrades, wife summoned

Israeli officials said they would let Mr Arafat seek treatment wherever he wanted at home or abroad, but the question of his return was "a separate issue after he recuperates".

Palestinian officials have repeatedly said in the past few days that the former guerrilla leader was recovering from a bout of "stomach flu".

But he has not appeared in public for days, stirring speculation about the gravity of his condition.

Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie and his predecessor Mahmud Abbas, old comrades of decades of fighting for a state, were summoned to Mr Arafat's headquarters. They made no comment as they left.

But Mr Arafat's spokesman denied an Al Jazeera report that the president had appointed a three-man committee to act in his absence.

In a sign of how serious Mr Arafat's condition is, his wife, Suha, is expected in Ramallah from her Paris home for the first time since the Palestinian uprising erupted.

-- Reuters

Arafat's Health Reported to Have Turned Sharply Worse

By GREG MYRE
The New York Times

JERUSALEM - Yasir Arafat's uncertain health took a sharp turn for the worse on Wednesday night with an ambulance and medical teams summoned to his West Bank compound amid unconfirmed reports that Mr. Arafat, the Palestinian leader, had collapsed and lost consciousness at least once.

Mr. Arafat, 75, remained in the compound in Ramallah, where he has been confined for nearly three years. Top members of the Palestinian leadership were summoned to his headquarters and his wife, Suha, who lives in Paris, was due to arrive on Thursday.

Palestinian officials gave conflicting accounts about whether Mr. Arafat had approved the formation of a three-person committee to watch over Palestinian affairs while he battled his illness.

Aides to the prime minister, Ahmed Qurei, said Mr. Arafat had agreed to the committee, whose members would be Mr. Qurei, Mahmoud Abbas, the former prime minister, and Salim Zanoun, a top official in the Palestine Liberation Organization. But an aide to Mr. Arafat denied that he had authorized such a panel.

The exact nature of Mr. Arafat's illness has not been revealed. Aides said he was quite weak with a bad case of stomach flu that he has had for two weeks. But they dismissed reports by Reuters and The Associated Press that he had lost consciousness.

The Associated Press, citing a bodyguard in the compound, said that Mr. Arafat had vomited at dinner with Mr. Qurei. Mr. Arafat was taken to the medical clinic in the compound where he was unconscious for about 10 minutes, The A.P. reported that the guard had said.

Reuters quoted officials and medics as saying that he was slipping in and out of consciousness. A Palestinian minister, who asked not to be named, was quoted by Reuters as describing him as "very, very sick."

The Palestinian leadership has never been very forthcoming about Mr. Arafat's health. He has had persistent vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pains, aides have said. In recent days, there have been daily reports and rumors that he has something more serious than the flu.

As the speculation mounted Wednesday night, a spokesman for Mr. Arafat, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, told reporters at the compound: "The situation is stable now. He is in a stable condition, but he needs more rest and more medical care."

Yasir Abed Rabbo, the former information minister and a longtime aide, emerged from the compound and denied that Mr. Arafat had collapsed. "He's weak, but he's conscious," Mr. Abed Rabbo said. Doctors planned to decide Thursday whether Mr. Arafat needed to be transferred to a hospital, he said.

Palestinian and Tunisian doctors have been monitoring Mr. Arafat at the compound. Additional doctors from Egypt and Jordan were expected on Thursday. Mr. Arafat's personal physician, Dr. Ashraf Kurdi, said he would come from his home in Amman, Jordan, to see Mr. Arafat.

The Associated Press, citing Palestinian medical officials, said Mr. Arafat had a painful gallstone, but blood tests and a biopsy had ruled out stomach cancer.

Until the last couple of days, Mr. Arafat had ignored doctors who told him to rest. He held meetings, and until Tuesday, was maintaining the dawn to dusk fast that Muslims undertake during the holy month of Ramadan, aides said.

Israel said on Monday that it had given Mr. Arafat permission to receive treatment at a Ramallah hospital, though he would have to return to his compound afterward.

An Israeli government official said Wednesday night that Mr. Arafat would be allowed to seek treatment anywhere he wanted, or could have any medical equipment brought in.

Israel confined Mr. Arafat to his compound in December 2001 after suicide bombings against Israel. Israel has said repeatedly that he is free to travel abroad, but that his return could not be guaranteed.

Mr. Arafat, the dominant Palestinian leader for close to four decades, has resisted talk of a successor. Mr. Qurei and Mr. Abbas have generally been seen as the most likely candidates. Both are in their 60's and have had health problems.

Polls show that the most popular Palestinian leader after Mr. Arafat is Marwan Barghouti, a leader in the Fatah movement in his early 40's.

(C) 2004 The New York Times Company

Army may need to keep peace for Palestinians after Arafat dies

Margot Dudkevitch
THE JERUSALEM POST

The army may be forced to intervene in the Palestinian-controlled areas after the demise of Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat to prevent innocent Palestinians from being harmed in the ensuing chaos, Central Command battalion commander Lt.-Col. Y. told The Jerusalem Post in a briefing Wednesday.

With the recent speculations regarding the Palestinian leader's failing health, the army has to be prepared for all situations, he said. "Arafat is still respected because of his past – he is a symbolic figure – but today he has no control over the area," he said. "When he is gone, I believe we will witness a settling of accounts and the army will be forced to become involved in order to protect the civilian population."

Armed thugs rule the street and are involved in extortion, robbery, rape, and weapon trading in addition to terrorism, he said. "Many of the PA officials fear for their safety and are constantly accompanied by armed guards," he said.

At the same time fugitives remain holed up in Arafat's Mukata compound in Ramallah, where they continue to plan terror attacks. "We are talking about fugitives with blood on their hands who are responsible for the murders of Israeli civilians and soldiers. Recognizing... that we will not enter the compound, the fugitives take advantage of the sensitive situation and the Mukata has become a hothouse," he said.

While the Hamas terrorist infrastructure in Ramallah has suffered a heavy blow, there are constant attempts to launch attacks against Israelis, the commander said. He would not rule out the possibility that terror groups in the West Bank will manufacture Kassam rockets as well as mortars. "Today the knowledge is out there on the Internet, all you need to do is download the details. The ingredients are easy to obtain: simple substances – fertilizer and agricultural products – you cook them at home, dip cloths into them, dry them and scrape off the residue." The government's planned disengagement from the Gaza Strip and communities in Samaria is viewed by the Palestinians as a fait accompli, he continued.

"They have reached the point of acceptance," he said. "You can see it in the sharp decrease in demonstrations in the area. The Palestinian public realize it's not worth fighting against. They are tired. Those not involved in terror have suffered economically and socially in the past four years." He has had no direct contact with his Palestinian counterparts despite efforts to meet them, he said.

The commander's goal is to allow Jews and Palestinians the chance to live side by side in peace and security.

The Kalandiya crossing north of Jerusalem is one of the largest West Bank checkpoints in the area, with thousands of Palestinians passing through it daily. "While we are aware that a small percentage of the Palestinian population is involved in terror, I don't see why the majority should have to suffer because of the activities of a few," he said.

The concrete security fence has almost reached the checkpoint, he said. Palestinians seeking to travel to A-Ram, Jerusalem or elsewhere must pass through a metal detector and have their packages examined, then go through turnstiles to positions where their permits and identity cards are checked by waiting soldiers.

"From the minute the Palestinians reach the checkpoint, inspections per person take two to three minutes," the commander said. In addition, a special humanitarian assistance lane allows the elderly, women, and children requiring medical attention to pass through quickly.

"It is of utmost importance that the Palestinians maintain their daily routine as much as possible," he said.

He noted that it is still not clear when the checkpoint's new terminal building will be constructed.

At the checkpoint, volunteer reservists aged 50 and over, who are less emotional than the 18-year-old soldiers and able to assess the situation more maturely, work alongside them. In addition, a Civil Administration official is always on hand to deal with problems that arise. "The commanding officer's role in such places is critical. They decide who can pass and who can't. There are dilemmas," he said.

In order to avoid confrontations, troops do not go out to patrol near schools when pupils are leaving for home or near mosques when worshipers are leaving, he said. "If there is no need we avoid doing so, as it only leads to clashes."

He praised members of Machsom Watch who are frequently at the checkpoint, but noted that Palestinians sometimes take advantage of the group. "This morning I received a report from them after Palestinians claimed that soldiers at the checkpoint had set fire to Palestinian property. I was there the entire morning and know that they claims were false. Not all the stories they tell Machsom Watch members are true, but they use it as another tool to generate media pressure on the army," he said.

Arafat's health worsens, doctors sent to examine him at compound in Ramallah

By MOHAMMED DARAGHMEH
Associated Press

RAMALLAH, West Bank -- Yasser Arafat collapsed Wednesday evening, was unconscious for about 10 minutes and remained in a "very difficult situation," Palestinian officials said. A team of Jordanian doctors was urgently summoned to treat the ailing Palestinian leader.

Within hours, three senior Palestinian officials formed a special committee to run Palestinian affairs during Arafat's illness, according to a Palestinian official in Arafat's office.

The committee includes Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, his predecessor, Mahmoud Abbas, and Salim Zaanoun, head of the Palestinian National Council.


Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, right, and his predecesor Mahmoud Abbas leave Yasser Arafat's headquarters in the West Bank town of Ramallah late Wednesday Oct. 27, 2004. Arafat's health worsened Wednesday and a team of doctors went to his compound to examine the Palestinian leader, according to a Palestinian official close to Arafat. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

The committee was to run the PLO and the Palestinian Authority until Arafat recovers, the official said on condition of anonymity.

Arafat was eating soup during a meeting with Qureia, Abbas and another official between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. (2 p.m. or 3 p.m. EDT) when he vomited, according to a bodyguard who was in the compound at the time.

The 75-year-old Arafat was brought to the clinic inside the compound, where he collapsed and was unconscious for about 10 minutes, the guard said. His doctors were urgently summoned.

On news that Arafat's health was worsening, scores of top Palestinian officials descended on the sandbagged, partially demolished Ramallah compound where he has been confined for 2 1/2 years. The officials milled around the courtyard, waiting for news outside Arafat's three-story building, bathed in spotlights.

Israeli security officials said Arafat's wife, Suha, who lives in France with their young daughter, was expected to arrive Thursday. The Jordanian doctors were also due Thursday.

Arafat has been known to be ill for two weeks, but reports about his ailment have varied widely.

Palestinian officials said he had the flu. Israeli officials speculated he might have stomach cancer, but two of his doctors said Wednesday a blood test and a biopsy of tissue from his digestive tract showed no evidence of cancer.

On Tuesday, a hospital official said Arafat was suffering from a large gallstone. The gallstone, while extremely painful, is not life-threatening and can be easily treated, the official told AP.

Arafat has shown symptoms of Parkinson's disease since the late 1990s.

As Arafat's condition worsened Wednesday, a senior Palestinian official told The Associated Press that a decision to move Arafat from his compound to a hospital would be made purely on medical grounds, without taking politics into consideration. Israel had said Monday it would allow Arafat to leave the compound for the hospital and return afterward, something the Israelis had refused to guarantee during Arafat's 2½ year confinement to his Ramallah compound.

An official who was in the room with Arafat Wednesday night told AP that the Palestinian leader was in "serious condition." Another official said Arafat was not awake when he saw him later in the evening, but it was unclear whether he was sleeping, had been sedated or was in a coma. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity.

Dr. Ashraf Kurdi, a Jordanian doctor who is heading the team due to arrive Thursday, told AP that he was urgently summoned to Arafat's compound but was given no details.

"I tried to get a medical report from them. I couldn't get anything," he said.

Arafat's health crisis has highlighted how unprepared the Palestinians are for their leader's death, making a chaotic transition period all but inevitable. Arafat refuses to groom a successor; rival security chiefs already have battled each other in the streets.

Qureia and Abbas have both been touted as possible political heirs to Arafat, though the Palestinian leader has bickered with both and blocked their attempts to limit his powers.


Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's main advisor Nabil Abu Rudenah briefs the media about Arafat's health at Arafat's compound in the West Bank town of Ramallah late Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2004. Arafat's health worsened Wednesday and a team of doctors went to his compound to examine the Palestinian leader, according to a Palestinian official close to Arafat. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

No leader of Arafat's stature and popularity is waiting in the wings, said Palestinian legislator Hanan Ashrawi. "It's only natural to expect that there would be either a power struggle or there would be a loss of cohesion," she said.

Analysts said it could take years for a leader to emerge, hurting prospects for an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal. However, Israel and the United States hold out hope that a post-Arafat Middle East will be more conducive to peace because of what they say is Arafat's blind eye to terror and opposition to reform.

Polls show the second most popular Palestinian after Arafat is Marwan Barghouti, a leader of Fatah's young guard. But Barghouti is serving five consecutive life terms in an Israeli prison for involvement in deadly shooting attacks.

On paper, at least, a path of succession has been charted. The parliament speaker would replace Arafat as Palestinian Authority president for 60 days, until elections are held. However, current speaker Rauhi Fattouh is a bland backbencher uncertain to hold on during a turbulent transition period, and timely elections appear unlikely.

Arafat's other post, as PLO chief, would be filled, at least temporarily, by Abbas.

During Arafat's long confinement in the compound, doctors have equipped two rooms with medical equipment, including X-ray, ultrasound machines and emergency resuscitation gear.

In tests this week, Arafat was in his pajamas and wore a blue wool hat, instead of his trademark black-and-white checkered headscarf, an official on the medical team said.

The medical official said Arafat continues to sleep in a small room, which has only one window and is furnished with a bed and a closet, even though a new, sunnier room has been refurbished for him on another floor.

From his small window, Arafat looks out on rubble and heaps of cars flattened in previous Israeli raids.

Associated Press writer Karin Laub contributed to this report from Jerusalem.

AP-ES-10-27-04 1904EDT