Palestine Loses Its Leader

According to the Associated Press (AP) news agency, a French television station, LCI, quoted an anonymous French medical official saying that Arafat was in an "irreversible coma" and "intubated" – a process that usually involves threading a tube down the windpipe to the lungs. The tube is often connected to a life support machine to help the patient breathe.

Arafat’s death is another blow to the balance in the Middle East and emergency meetings were held in several capitals. An atmosphere of mourning settled in Palestine as the public received news that their leader was flirting with death. Since Arafat has not designated a successor, there is a great deal of talk about who will fill his shoes. Like the late King Hussein of Jordan, it is expected that Arafat will be brought back to his homeland connected to the life-support unit so his physiological death can occur at home.

At the hospital yesterday, Arafat’s condition deteriorated again. No diagnosis was announced for his illness, although reports that he had leukemia were denied.

Some sources had previously claimed that Israel poisoned Arafat, who had "blood irregularities." Israel argued that the Palestinian leader either had cancer or a serious infection.

Zaman Online was the first to announce the latest development regarding Arafat’s brain death yesterday to the world. Zaman’s Washington correspondent, Ali H. Aslan, reported the development based on sources close to the American administration and Cihan news agency reported the news to the world as a "news flash."

Official announcements did not announce that Arafat had gone into a coma. Luxembourg’s Prime Minister, Jean Claude Juncker, made a statement about Arafat’s death earlier yesterday, but later withdrew his statement. Hospital statements in the evening were trying to cover the news reporting that the Palestinian leader "did not die." Both official and private news channels in Israel announced Arafat’s death based on information leaked from hospital sources saying that Arafat was alive but on life support. The Palestinian administration has also denied the "death" news. Observers say that Arafat’s death will be announced after necessary political preparations are complete since the news will profoundly affect critical balances in the Middle East.

Some of Arafat’s authority was handed over to Prime Minster Ahmet Qurey. In an emergency meeting, the administration decided to send Qurey to Gaza in order to provide security to the region in the event of a reaction to the news of Arafat’s death. Concerns are that the news will escalate the violence in Gaza where clashes continue.

On alert, Israeli security sources have prepared an emergency action plan "new page" for possible incidents. Israeli military high officers convened under the supervision of Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and discussed how to prevent Arafat from being buried in Jerusalem. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon reiterated his statement, "As long as I live, I will not let him be buried in Jerusalem" yesterday against Arafat’s wishes. In this case, the Palestinian leader could be buried either in Ramallah or the Gaza Strip. Regarding the claims that Arafat has died, Sharon said that the Israeli administration had no comment until an official statement was made.

When French President Jacques Chirac visited Arafat at the hospital yesterday, the Palestinian leader reportedly smiled at him and squeezed his hand. Arafat, who has always had close relations with France, had previously said, "If something happens to me, I may go to Dr. Chirac." US President George W. Bush has said America will work for a free Palestinian state and expressed his best wishes for Arafat, saying "God bless his soul."