Report: Arafat on life support

Israeli television reports Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is clinically dead. 
     
The report quoted French sources and said doctors are debating whether to disconnect him from life support. 
     
Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia denied the report, saying Arafat is still alive and being treated at Percy hospital in France.

Palestinian officials in Ramallah said Arafat’s wife, Suha, and the five Palestinian officials accompanying him would make an official statement later. 
     
Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a top aide to Arafat who is by his side, said earlier Thursday for the first time that Arafat’s health has critically deteriorated. 
     
Palestinian officials, including former minister of internal security Mohamed Dahlan and Arafat’s Bureau chief of Staff Tayeb Abdel Rahim denied the reports. 
     
Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia told an anxious crowd in Ramallah Arafat is not in a coma. 
     
“There is no coma … no coma,” Qureia said.