Arafat in seriously ill but stable condition

This article is not original reporting. All information has been compiled from "Arafat Seriously Ill but in Stable Condition, Aides Say" by Molly Moore and John Ward of The Washington Post.

Palestinian president Yasser Arafat is considered seriously ill but in stable condition as of Oct. 28. He has been staying in his compound in Ramallah and has had doctors from Tunisia, Jordan and Egypt come to treat him over the last week according to The Washington Post.

Doctors' diagnoses have included severe flu, gallstones and intestinal infection. Doctors also stated that Arafat received an endoscopy this week in order to scrutinize his digestive track.

Palestinian officials have denied claims from Israeli intelligence officials that Arafat is suffering from stomach or colon cancer.

Arafat's spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh is quoted in The Washington Post as saying that Arafat is "in stable condition, but he is still in need of more medical care." Rudeineh also said that Arafat had not lost consciousness.

Rumors circulated this morning that Arafat was to be moved from his compound to a local hospital. Arafat has not left his compound in over two years because he believes that the Israeli military would capture him and expel him from Palestine.

When reporters came to Arafat's compound, deputy speaker of the Palestinian Legislation Gazu Hanania denied that Arafat was leaving and was quoted in The Washington Post as saying, "Everything you hear is rumor. President Arafat is sleeping."

According to The Washington Post, Palestinian political analyst and reform advocate Mustafa Barghouti said that two teams of doctors are to come from abroad in order to further examinine Arafat's illness. "The president is seriously sick. He has had serious problems with his gastrointestinal system. He has not been able to eat, and he's been vomiting," he said to The Washington Post.

Raanan Gissin, spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is quoted in The Washington Post as saying that relocating Arafat out of his compound for medical treatment is "not the issue right now. We are dealing with a humanitarian medical issue right now and all the other issues can wait," he said.