Arafat 'losing consciousness repeatedly'
Yasser Arafat has lost consciousness repeatedly in recent hours after being rushed into intensive care at a French military hospital, Palestinians said today. They described his condition as extremely serious.
The officials said they could not immediately confirm reports the 75-year-old Palestinian leader had lapsed into a coma. French hospital and military officials would not comment on the ailing leader’s health.
Mohammed Rashid, Arafat’s financial adviser, strongly denied that reports that Arafat had slipped into a coma.
“Last night, several blood and bone marrow tests were done that required the president to be in an isolation unit for several hours, and there is no truth to any of the reports he is in a coma,” Rashid said.
In the West Bank city of Ramallah, senior Palestinian officials convened an emergency meeting after learning of the deterioration in Arafat’s condition, said Sakher Habash, a member of the Central Committee of the ruling Fatah movement.
