Arafat ‘in the hands of God’

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is still alive but ”in the hands of God”, the Palestinian representative in France, Leila Shahid, said on Wednesday.

”Like yesterday, he is in a deep coma with complications in the condition of all his vital organs, so he is in a very critical state. The reality is that he is in the hands of God,” Shahid told France Info radio.

Shahid denied that a senior Islamic cleric who arrived at Arafat’s bedside on Wednesday was there to authorise the switch-off of life-support equipment.

”Clearly a man of religion should be near a patient in the final phase of his life. That is why he is there, not to disconnect him — because euthanasia is banned in Islam,” she said.

Tayssir el-Tamimi, head of religious courts in the Palestinian territories and a friend of the Palestinian leader, arrived at Arafat’s hospital on Wednesday morning.

Burial in Israel

Meanwhile, Israel on Wednesday gave the go-ahead for Arafat’s eventual burial to take place at his headquarters in the West Bank town of Ramallah, officials said.

”The Security Cabinet decided to allow Arafat to be buried in Ramallah,” where the Palestinian leader’s Muqataa leadership compound is located, the radio report said.

Palestinian Negotiations Minister Saeb Erakat confirmed the report, saying: ”Israel made it known to us a few minutes ago that the Israeli government agrees to a Palestinian request to bury President Arafat in the Muqataa.”

”We have been in contact with the office of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon since last night [Tuesday],” Erakat added.

The Palestinians will be responsible for security at the burial service, Israeli officials said.

The Israeli army, which has raised its alert level in anticipation of Arafat’s eventual death and burial, will be responsible for security around Ramallah.

According to military sources, foreign leaders will arrive in Ramallah via the Allenby bridge that links Jordan and the West Bank, which is controlled by Israeli and Jordanian authorities.

Israeli police will deploy reinforcements in east Jerusalem to head off any violence during the burial service, which could coincide with the end of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, Israeli officials said.

Israel will maintain its lockdown of the main towns in the West Bank and will not allow Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip — except for ”important Palestinian figures” — to go to Ramallah.

Israelis wishing to attend the burial service will have to sign a document before entering Ramallah that will absolve the Israeli army of all responsibility for their security.

In Cairo, Egyptian presidential spokesperson Maged Abdul Fattah said that Egypt will host the official funeral ceremony for Arafat in the event of an official announcement of his death.

Palestinian officials said an official announcement of Arafat’s death is expected on Wednesday.

An announcement of Arafat’s death could have a galvanising impact on the stalled Middle East peace process.

United States President George Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon have refused to meet with Arafat for the past four years.

Speaking in Mexico City, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said his country is willing to work with whatever leaders the Palestinians choose in the event of Arafat’s death.

”The US remains ready to engage with the Palestinian leadership as the Palestinians define that leadership,” Powell said. — Sapa-AFP