Arafat in critical condition

[jerseydevil]

Arafat is now in the hospital in critical condition. By the sounds of it he may not live much longer. He is now unable to walk.

Close aide: Arafat in critical condition

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 was examining Arafat and that Jordanian doctors were en route to further aid in Arafat's treatment.

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.

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 team of Egyptian and Tunisian doctors was 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.

He said it was likely Arafat will go to a hospital for treatment.

"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.

What would happen if Arafat died? Would it give a chance for the moderate palestinians to take control and not be saddled by him? Would it have no affect? or would it cause more violence against Israel?

[BeardofPants]

About time the feckin' bugger died. Maybe now we can get an actual chance for peace between Palestine and israel. I'm hoping for the moderates to step in, personally. 'Course it would have to be matched by Israel for there to be any hope. As long as Sharon is saddled with his extremists (and Sharon's not exactly middle-of-the-road either), there will still be problems. maybe the death of arafat will alleviate this though.

[inked]

BoP,

Do I detect a loss of the "all is sweetness and light" component of your persona? Or are you that desperate for the ol' bugger to lose his pants permanently?

[BeardofPants]

"sweetness and light"? *snicker*

[Tessar]

Oh my God... I read "Aratfalthion" and thought "Arat-Falthion" and nearly had a heart attack. Sheeeeze I feel stupid now. I actually just about jumped out of my chair...

Anyways... I think that his death, as BoP said, will probably fix a few problems, but as with any new leader, a whole host of new problems will appear.

[Shelob's Hubby]

I think his death will create more problems than it will solve. Things will get shaken up, and, when things get shaken up in the Middle East, it ain't pretty. There will probably be a power struggle, and the new leader probably won't be any better than Arafat. Plus the new leader will be anxious to do somthing and solidify his office. New blood isn't always the best thing.

[Radagast The Brown]

Originally Posted by BeardofPants

About time the feckin' bugger died. Maybe now we can get an actual chance for peace between Palestine and israel. I'm hoping for the moderates to step in, personally. 'Course it would have to be matched by Israel for there to be any hope. As long as Sharon is saddled with his extremists (and Sharon's not exactly middle-of-the-road either), there will still be problems. maybe the death of arafat will alleviate this though.

Well, actually Sharon and his party aren't considered extermists - and their coalition has almost no exremists either, only 4 of about 60. His plan, to get all Jews out of Gaza strip, proves that. (The plan is differey of his party's ideology).

I'm not sure if it does any good. And can't really see how Arafat did any harm when he was closed in his building (you called it 'compound'? I think its name is the mukata). As Shelob's Hubby said... I think it'd only make mess there, especially when Arafat gave the leadership of the Autonomy to 3 men. I think the new leader will be much weaker than Arafat... we'll see if that's good or bad.

[jerseydevil]

Originally Posted by Radagast The Brown

Well, actually Sharon and his party aren't considered extermists - and their coalition has almost no exremists either, only 4 of about 60. His plan, to get all Jews out of Gaza strip, proves that. (The plan is differey of his party's ideology).

She seems to ignore the fact that Sharon has just issued and won the approval for a ground breaking occurence - the withdrawal from Gaza Strip and the dismantling of the settlements. She wants to concentrate on the past - where Sharon supported the settlements.

Although - I would consider a person who condones suicide bombings to be FAR MORE extremist.

I'm not sure if it does any good. And can't really see how Arafat did any harm when he was closed in his building (you called it 'compound'? I think its name is the mukata). As Shelob's Hubby said... I think it'd only make mess there, especially when Arafat gave the leadership of the Autonomy to 3 men. I think the new leader will be much weaker than Arafat... we'll see if that's good or bad.

I think that would depend if the moderate palestinians are organized enough to gain power or not. According to their Constitution or whatever - it seems as if the speaker of the house becomes leader after Arafat dies, but he isn't well known. Arafat's death I think has the potential for both - but hopefully the moderates are strong enough to overcome the extremists.

[BeardofPants]

Actually, JD, I'd prefer if you didn't read more into what I stated thank you. I acknowledge that Sharon is trying to work towards evacuating the settlements, which is why I stated my statement the way I did (that Sharon was "saddled", in other words, having difficulty due to the extremists putting their respective foots down).

[jerseydevil]

Originally Posted by BeardofPants

Actually, JD, I'd prefer if you didn't read more into what I stated thank you. I acknowledge that Sharon is trying to work towards evacuating the settlements, which is why I stated my statement the way I did (that Sharon was "saddled", in other words, having difficulty due to the extremists putting their respective foots down).

Well maybe you shouldn't say things like this then too - "(and Sharon's not exactly middle-of-the-road either)" You didn't acknowledge the steps he HAS taken - which are in no way extremist. He is supporting something that NO ONE thought would ever happen - without even any guarantees from the Palestinians on anything. By the way - I'm not just going by this thread - but the many things you said about Sharon and Israel two years ago. Remember the discussions and arguments between you, Tristan and I? I do.