Arafat suffers liver, kidney failure

cctv.com 11-11-2004 08:49

Ailing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat remains in a deep coma, at the Percy Military Hospital in France. On Wednesday, Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Sha'ath revealed that Arafat suffered liver and kidney failure. He also said that Arafat's brain was only partially working, due to a hemorrhage. As this developed, Palestinian officials have agreed to hold an official funeral for Arafat in Cairo, and then bury him in the West Bank town of Ramallah.

Following a meeting with Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank town of Ramallah, Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath described the condition of Yasser Arafat as being at a very critical stage.

Nabil Shaath, Palestinian Foreign Minister, "His liver is not functioning well, his kidneys are not functioning well, and his heart and lungs are functioning properly."

Shaath said it's very difficult to make any predictions on Arafat at this time. In Paris, Palestinian spokeswoman Leila Shahid has confirmed Arafat is still hanging on for life.

At Arafat's compound in Ramallah, there are signs that Palestinian officials are preparing for possible memorial services in case of his death. And on Wednesday, the Palestinian leadership decided to take up Egypt's offer to host an eventual funeral service for Arafat in Cairo. The decision came during a joint meeting of the Palestine Liberation Organization Executive Committee and the Fatah Central Committee in Ramallah.

Meanwhile, in a move seen to prevent chaos in an era without Arafat, major Palestinian political and militant groups meeting in Gaza have called for restraint among Palestinians once Arafat's death is announced. The groups included Fatah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad.

They agreed to ban such violent acts as burning tires and firing into the air on streets, as well as attacking stores and public properties.

Editor:Chen  Source:CCTV.com