<h3>Ailing Arafat to Fly to Paris Hospital</h3>

Ailing Yassir Arafat to fly to Paris [Graphic: Werner Horvath]

President Yassir Arafat took part in morning prayers early Thursday while he braced for a thorough medical examination by teams of senior Palestinian, Jordanian, Egyptian and Tunisian doctors, as a large crowd of Palestinians kept a silent vigil outside his besieged compound amid wider popular rallying across the occupied territories around the leader of the Palestinian people.

Palestine Media Center | Arafat to Get Thorough Medical Examination: Palestinian Security Services Put on Alert

Doctors decided Thursday to fly Yasser Arafat to Paris for treatment after blood tests revealed the ailing Palestinian leader has a low platelet count. Associates said Arafat was too weak to stand Thursday, appeared confused at times and spent most of the day sleeping. The doctors told reporters the cause of the low platelet count was not known and further testing was needed. Arafat's personal physician, Dr. Ashraf Kurdi, said there was no immediate threat to Arafat's life. "His condition is good, his spirits are high," Kurdi said.

Low platelet count, fatigue, etc. Sounds like Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia to me. Call it an ill-educated guess. Given his three-year imprisonment in Ramallah by the IDF, the Palestinian president's health is not good and he might have only several weeks to a year to live. I hope I'm proved wrong.

Guardian | Ailing Arafat to Fly to Paris Hospital

Note: The New York Times exemplifies the mind-boggling contradictions inherent in American pronouncements on Arafat's causal role in the Palestinian occupation:

Israel began confining Mr. Arafat to the compound in December 2001 after a surge in Palestinian suicide bombings. In the nearly three years since then, the Palestinian areas have slid into increasing lawlessness, with various security services competing for territory.

By failing to crack down on Palestinian violence and groups sworn to Israel's destruction, Mr. Arafat has lost much of his credibility with the outside world. Mr. Sharon, who considers him no partner for peace, will not negotiate with him, a position supported by the Bush administration.

New York Times | Ailing Arafat Going to Paris as Uncertainty Grows