Israeli security officials focus on Arafat's health

Israeli security chiefs met today to discuss Yasser Arafat’s deteriorating health, after the 75-year-old Palestinian leader was rushed into the intensive care unit at a French military hospital.

Israeli media, citing Israeli intelligence officials, said Arafat suffered organ failure and that he had lost consciousness several times. A newspaper said Arafat’s condition was “very critical”.

Palestinian officials confirmed Arafat’s health had deteriorated, but would not provide details.

Today, Israeli army commanders, led by military chief Lt. Gen. Moshe Yaalon, discussed Arafat’s condition at their weekly briefing, Israeli security officials said. Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz was to join the discussion later in the day.

Israel has prepared contingency plans for Arafat’s death, including how to deal with possible Palestinian protests and how to prevent attempts to bury him in Jerusalem.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has said he would not permit Arafat to be buried in the disputed city, claimed by both Israel and the Palestinians as their capital.

Arafat was airlifted to Paris last week for urgent medical treatment and tests for a still unknown disease. Initially, Palestinian officials said Arafat was recovering from a harsh bout of the flu, but his situation rapidly worsened.

In recent years, there has been great speculation about Arafat’s medical condition, and it has been reported that he has Parkinson’s’ disease, but that has never been officially confirmed.

Shimon Peres, who shared a Nobel Peace Prize with Arafat in 1994 for signing an interim peace deal, said the Palestinian leader’s death would have great impact on the region and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“What has happened is that a new leadership is forming,” Peres said. The new leadership appears to be “more firmly ground and also has great determination to bring an end to the terrible problem of the Palestinian nation,” Peres added.

“The Palestinians have to correct their main error which is the takeover of Palestinian politics by terrorists and I hope the group that will come to leadership understands this and will act accordingly,” Peres said.