IS ARAFAT DEAD?

FRENCH MEDIA: ARAFAT DIED IN PARIS HOSPITAL
Palestinian President Yasser Arafat died in the Percy military hospital near Paris, Proche Orient Info, a French newspaper that covers the Middle East reported Thursday evening. Radio Monte-Carlo also reported on Thursday evening that Yasser Arafat is clinically dead. Proche Orient reported that doctors decided to take Arafat off the artificial respirator on Thursday evening at about 5:30 p.m.

Channel two reported that the Israel Defense Forces received information Thursday from a "very reliable source" that Yasser Arafat died in hospital at about 5:30 p.m. Israel time.

At a press conference at Percy Military Hospital held at 6:30 p.m. officials said Arafat was not dead, but did not give his condition. The officials said Arafat was taken to intensive care so that "he could get the treatment required for his illness." Senior Arafat aide Mohammed Rashid on Thursday eveing said Arafat is still alive, Channel 2 reported. PA Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei Mohammed Dahlan denied the reports, Al Arabiyeh reported.