Arafat uncertainty - Israel must not aggravate instability

THE situation for Palestinians is on the brink of chaos following conflicting reports that their leader, Yasser Arafat, had died.

His health had deteriorated sharply in France where the 75-year-old leader was in intensive care.

Amid clouds of uncertainty, emergency meetings were taking place on the West Bank last night in a bid to find a successor to the man who has led the Palestinians for more than 40 years.