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Officials deny media reports of Arafat's death
Officials at the Paris hospital where Yasser Arafat is undergoing treatment say the Palestinian leader is still alive, despite reports that he had died just moments ago.
"Mr. Arafat is not dead," Christian Estripeau, a spokesman for the Percy Military Training Hospital in Clamart outside Paris, told a news conference in a brief statement.
Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie also denied such reports.
"I have just spoken to the officials in Paris and they say the situation is still as it was. He is still in the intensive care unit," he said.
Those comments follow reports from Israel's Channel Two television, which cited unnamed sources as saying Arafat was "clinically dead." Radio Monte Carlo, Al-Arabiya Television and Israel's Haaretz newspaper also reported that he had died.
As well, Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude told reporters in Brussels that Arafat "passed away 15 minutes ago."
There have been a constant flow of conflicting reports about Arafat's health since he first fell ill, about three weeks ago.
Earlier Thursday, a Palestinian official said Arafat had slipped into a coma, after going in and out of consciousness. But senior aides denied that, saying that his situation was serious but stable.
Arafat's health worsened on Wednesday night, prompting doctors to rush him into intensive care at the French military hospital. He was taken to the Paris hospital last week after passing out briefly at his headquarters.
Doctors have conducted a battery of tests on Arafat, and say they don't know what is wrong with him. However, they have ruled out leukemia and other forms of cancer as the cause of his blood and digestive disorder.
Upon news of his deteriorating health, Palestinian security services were summoned to an emergency meeting on Thursday at Arafat's headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah, sources told the Reuters news agency.
Qurie, who has temporarily assumed duties as the head of the Palestinian Authority, called the meeting.
Israeli security officials also met Thursday to discuss what their plan of action may be if Arafat dies. They have decided to secure borders, but will give people space to grieve.
"There have been some changes in the military strategy in saying the army will hold off on operations in certain parts of Gaza and West Bank until there is some resolution on Yasser Arafat's condition," CTV's Janis Mackey Frayer said, reporting from Jerusalem.
"But they are starting to plan for what happens next, not only from a military point of view, but also from a political point of view."
Arafat has never appointed a successor, but his duties are being shared by Qurie and former prime minister Mahmoud Abbas, who is considered Arafat's number two.
U.S. President George Bush, who has refused to meet with Arafat, accusing him of being an obstacle to peace, responded to reports on Arafat's health during his first media briefing after being re-elected.
"We will continue to work for a free Palestinian state that is at peace with Israel," Bush told reporters.
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