Arafat Dead ? Msnbc
msnbc | 11/04/04 | msnbc
Martin fletcher on msnbc just reported according to Israel security ARAFAT HAS DIED
More:
ISRAELI SECURITY SOURCES HAVE JUST INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAVE SOLID INDICATIONS THAT YASSER ARAFAT HAS PASSED AWAY. I WANT TO STRESS that these are as yet UNCONFIMRED security reports. Israeli media reports say military forces have been placed on full alert, ready to move into Palestinian areas at the first sign of trouble if indeed the Palestinian leader has passed away.
Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz is meeting in emergency session with senior security officials in Tel Aviv to discuss the reported severe deterioration of Yasser Arafats health in the past few hours. The Palestinian leader was rushed to intensive care in a hospital in France overnight. Reports reaching Jerusalem, broadcast on Israel radio, say the Palestinian leader has slipped into a coma once again. A news conference by his doctors, scheduled for this morning, has been abruptly cancelled, leading to speculation that Arafat may be at deaths door. Palestinian officials, who have confirmed that their leader is gravely ill, are also now meeting in emergency session in Ramallah. According to press reports, Arafat stopped breathing for a time overnight, along with other signs of possible imminent death.
Israeli leaders are reportedly concerned that if Arafat passes away in the next 24 hours, there could be significant unrest in the Palestinian areas on the last Friday of Ramadanalways an emotional time for Middle East Muslims anyway. Police and army forces are expected to be significantly beefed up to deal with any possible backlash, especially around Jerusalem. The number of Arab Muslim allowed up on the Old Citys Temple Mount for Friday prayers is now expected to be severely limited.
Government officials are said to be especially concerned over unfounded rumors swirling around the territories that Israeli agents might have poisoned the veteran PLO leader. Arafats doctors earlier denied that any poison has been discovered in his body. There is also said to be widespread Palestinian anger over recent reports in the Israeli media that quote a homosexual web site which suggests that Arafat might be suffering from AIDS. The reports maintain he may contracted the disease during sexual encounters with some of his male bodyguards. Israeli security agents have long been said to possess concrete evidence of Arafats alleged illicit homosexual activities. Other rumors that have circulated in the region for several years claim that Arafats ten year old daughter is actually the result of an affair between his wife Suha and now-jailed Fatah official Marwan Bargouti. All of this is expected to add to tensions expected when the veteran Palestinian leader finally dies.
msnbc | 11/04/04 | msnbc
Martin fletcher on msnbc just reported according to Israel security ARAFAT HAS DIED
More:
ISRAELI SECURITY SOURCES HAVE JUST INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAVE SOLID INDICATIONS THAT YASSER ARAFAT HAS PASSED AWAY. I WANT TO STRESS that these are as yet UNCONFIMRED security reports. Israeli media reports say military forces have been placed on full alert, ready to move into Palestinian areas at the first sign of trouble if indeed the Palestinian leader has passed away.
Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz is meeting in emergency session with senior security officials in Tel Aviv to discuss the reported severe deterioration of Yasser Arafats health in the past few hours. The Palestinian leader was rushed to intensive care in a hospital in France overnight. Reports reaching Jerusalem, broadcast on Israel radio, say the Palestinian leader has slipped into a coma once again. A news conference by his doctors, scheduled for this morning, has been abruptly cancelled, leading to speculation that Arafat may be at deaths door. Palestinian officials, who have confirmed that their leader is gravely ill, are also now meeting in emergency session in Ramallah. According to press reports, Arafat stopped breathing for a time overnight, along with other signs of possible imminent death.
Israeli leaders are reportedly concerned that if Arafat passes away in the next 24 hours, there could be significant unrest in the Palestinian areas on the last Friday of Ramadanalways an emotional time for Middle East Muslims anyway. Police and army forces are expected to be significantly beefed up to deal with any possible backlash, especially around Jerusalem. The number of Arab Muslim allowed up on the Old Citys Temple Mount for Friday prayers is now expected to be severely limited.
Government officials are said to be especially concerned over unfounded rumors swirling around the territories that Israeli agents might have poisoned the veteran PLO leader. Arafats doctors earlier denied that any poison has been discovered in his body. There is also said to be widespread Palestinian anger over recent reports in the Israeli media that quote a homosexual web site which suggests that Arafat might be suffering from AIDS. The reports maintain he may contracted the disease during sexual encounters with some of his male bodyguards. Israeli security agents have long been said to possess concrete evidence of Arafats alleged illicit homosexual activities. Other rumors that have circulated in the region for several years claim that Arafats ten year old daughter is actually the result of an affair between his wife Suha and now-jailed Fatah official Marwan Bargouti. All of this is expected to add to tensions expected when the veteran Palestinian leader finally dies.
