Fears of chaos as Arafat fights for his life

THE Israeli army went on high alert and fears of unrest grew in Gaza and the West Bank last night as Yasser Arafat’s slipped into an “irreversible coma”.

And as the Palestinian leader was fighting for his life in a French hospital, a senior official said some of his powers had been handed to his prime minister.

Rumours of the state of the ailing 75-year-old's health swirled around the world yesterday evening after Israeli TV reported he was dead. There were media reports also that Mr Arafat was brain dead but remained on life support.