Arafat not getting better, Israel plans Gaza burial

PARIS – Yasser Arafat lay critically ill with liver failure yesterday and his condition was not improving, a Palestinian official said, as Israel finalised plans to bury the Palestinian president in the Gaza Strip.

Arafat wants to be buried in Jerusalem, which is holy both to Muslims and Jews, but Israeli officials refuse to bury him in land which Israel says is part of its indivisible capital. Aides gave conflicting reports about the 75-year-old leader’s health and concern grew about who will succeed him and the fate of Middle East peace efforts that have stalled.Some aides said he was not in a coma.Others said his condition was so bad that he might be moved to Cairo, from where he could be flown home more quickly if he died.”He has liver failure.His condition is not improving,” said a Palestinian official in the West Bank who declined to be named.”One option being considered is moving him to Cairo.”The official said any decision to move Arafat could be taken only by the Palestinian leadership.He added that a low count of platelets, which help the blood clot, meant blood transfusions were proving difficult.Doctors have ruled out leukaemia but remain puzzled why Arafat’s health deteriorated sharply last week at the military hospital in a southwest Paris suburb where he has been having tests since he was airlifted there from the West Bank on Oct.29.A row is brewing over where to bury the man who personifies the struggle to establish a Palestinian state, a dream that Arafat has not fulfilled amidst a 4-year-old Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.”The defence establishment has completed preparations for an Arafat funeral in Gaza,” political sources quoted Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz as telling a cabinet meeting.”The moment we receive a Palestinian Authority request on the matter, we will implement final preparations.We still await a formal announcement of Arafat’s death.”Israel allowed the Palestinian leader to be flown out of the West Bank more than a week ago.Returning him from France to Gaza would require similar permission.Mohammad Dahlan, Arafat’s former security chief in Gaza, said he would travel to Jordan during the day and then go to the West Bank to brief Palestinian leaders on the president’s health.He was then expected to go to Cairo.Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, on a visit to China, urged the Palestinians not to abandon efforts to end decades of conflict if Arafat dies.- Nampa-ReutersAides gave conflicting reports about the 75-year-old leader’s health and concern grew about who will succeed him and the fate of Middle East peace efforts that have stalled.Some aides said he was not in a coma.Others said his condition was so bad that he might be moved to Cairo, from where he could be flown home more quickly if he died.”He has liver failure.His condition is not improving,” said a Palestinian official in the West Bank who declined to be named.”One option being considered is moving him to Cairo.”The official said any decision to move Arafat could be taken only by the Palestinian leadership.He added that a low count of platelets, which help the blood clot, meant blood transfusions were proving difficult.Doctors have ruled out leukaemia but remain puzzled why Arafat’s health deteriorated sharply last week at the military hospital in a southwest Paris suburb where he has been having tests since he was airlifted there from the West Bank on Oct.29.A row is brewing over where to bury the man who personifies the struggle to establish a Palestinian state, a dream that Arafat has not fulfilled amidst a 4-year-old Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.”The defence establishment has completed preparations for an Arafat funeral in Gaza,” political sources quoted Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz as telling a cabinet meeting.”The moment we receive a Palestinian Authority request on the matter, we will implement final preparations.We still await a formal announcement of Arafat’s death.”Israel allowed the Palestinian leader to be flown out of the West Bank more than a week ago.Returning him from France to Gaza would require similar permission.Mohammad Dahlan, Arafat’s former security chief in Gaza, said he would travel to Jordan during the day and then go to the West Bank to brief Palestinian leaders on the president’s health.He was then expected to go to Cairo.Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, on a visit to China, urged the Palestinians not to abandon efforts to end decades of conflict if Arafat dies.- Nampa-Reuters