Close aide: Arafat in critical condition

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http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/...lth/index.html

Doctors trying to determine whether he should go to a hospital
Wednesday, October 27, 2004 Posted: 6:44 PM EDT (2244 GMT)

(CNN) -- Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was in critical condition late Wednesday after his health deteriorated through the course of the day, Palestinian officials said.

Doctors were treating him at his Ramallah compound and assessing whether he should be sent to a hospital.

"He is in critical condition, but he's conscious," said Hassan Abu-Libdeh, Cabinet secretary to the Palestinian Authority. "During the last six hours, he has relapsed."

He said a team of Egyptian and Tunisian doctors were examining Arafat and that Jordanian doctors -- including his personal physician -- were en route to further aid in Arafat's treatment.

Arafat's wife, Sufa, was expected to arrive in Ramallah Thursday.

A senior Palestinian official inside the compound said Arafat's condition was "extremely bad."

Palestinian officials said Arafat, 75, was too weak to meet with anybody and that he was unable to walk, having to be carried by aides when he needed to move. They also said he has been unable to keep food down.

Israel Radio reported late Wednesday that Arafat had lost consciousness, although Palestinian officials disputed that account.

Palestinian legislator Hannan Ashrawi said top Palestinian officials have been meeting since Tuesday, although she did not characterize the nature of the discussions.

"Right now, everybody who is in a position of authority must think seriously about maintaining order and not allowing panic to take over," she said. "This would be a very serious blow should anything happen to President Arafat."

Earlier in the day, Arafat said he wanted to name former Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas as his deputy, according to the central committee of Fatah, the mainstream faction and Palestinian nationalist movement of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

Abbas and Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei then went to the Ramallah compound but were turned away after being told that Arafat was too sick, said Abbas Zaki, a member of Fatah's central committee. The two later left the compound.

Palestinian aide Yasser Abed Rabbo, who was in the compound, said the Egyptian and Tunisian doctors were trying to determine whether Arafat should go to a hospital.

Ambulances were outside the compound, and Israel has said he can travel to a hospital for treatment.

Speaking from Geneva, Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Nabil Sha'ath said he has been in constant touch with Arafat and that he was "quite weak."

"He cannot retain food in his stomach. He is being fed intravenously and therefore he is weak," Sha'ath said.

"Nobody can yet tell any physical reason as to why this condition has lasted and has continued to cause him this weakness," he said.

Arafat has been sick for the past two weeks. During that time, Palestinian officials have cited various ailments, first the flu or stomach virus, then gall stones.

Israel has confined Arafat to his compound in Ramallah since late 2001, accusing him of provoking suicide bombings and other violent acts in the Palestinian uprising that began in September 2000, charges he denies.

An Israeli Defense Ministry official said Monday that Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz agreed to a Palestinian request to let Arafat go to a hospital in Ramallah after being examined in his compound by doctors.

Israel has previously said Arafat is free to leave Ramallah but cannot guarantee it will allow him to return.

Arafat has long been reported to have Parkinson's disease. According to aides, he suffers from neurological injuries caused by a near-fatal plane crash in Libya in 1992.

Arafat canceled several meetings last week and missed prayers at the start of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month. Palestinian sources said he had a high fever and nausea but recovered and needed to rest, Reuters reported.