Rumors are swirling that Yasser Arafat is clinically dead. I just saw on the news an official of Arafat’s hospital in France announce that his medical situation has “changed” and he will be removed to another section of the hospital more appropriate to his new “situation”.
My interpretation is that he’s dead or clinically dead, but the Palestinians don’t want to announce it for fear of what will happen next. What you would expect from a dictatorship.
(I must say the hospital officials in France look really weird: they wear what looks to me like army uniforms. Is France a police state?)
UPDATE: Israeli news is reporting now that he is clinically dead. What happens next? Remember, Arafat has been leading the Palestinian war against Israel since 1963 (four years before Israel captured Gaza and the West Bank in the Six Day War).
UPDATE: The root of Arafat is: `-r-f. I don’t know what it means in Arabic, but in Hebrew `oref (עורף), from the same root, means: back of the neck. I think that’s appropriate somehow.
UPDATE: The news seems to be confirmed. We can start donating Arafat’s organs now. Anyone want his heart?
Posted by David Boxenhorn at November 4, 2004 06:41 PMI am concerned about an increase of attacks to "honor" his memory.
Posted by: Jack at November 4, 2004 08:27 PM PermalinkIn my opinion they attack as often as they can already. Nothing that happens will cause the attacks to increase, except our bad luck or lack of vigilance.
Posted by: David Boxenhorn at November 4, 2004 08:31 PM PermalinkIs it true that I can't be happy if he dies? Because I'm going to have a hard time not being happy; he is a monster in my mind, having killed so many people, and caused so much pain and suffering in the world.
(My dh and I were just talking about the pasuk in Proverbs.)
Posted by: Rachel Ann at November 4, 2004 11:34 PM PermalinkI have no problem admitting that I have often thought that he should die without having witnessed a Palestinian state.
The big question really is who fills the vacuum created by his death.
Posted by: Jack at November 5, 2004 01:04 AM PermalinkJust a footnote: The Percy hospital is a military hospital, hence the uniforms of the doctors. My guess is that Arafat was taken there either because it would provide better security, or because of the nature of his illness, announced initially as a "blood disorder" or possibly leukemia. With no credible information coming out, we are stuck with mere rumors.
I can't help but wonder if his episodes of vomiting, etc. that led to his removal to France were perhaps induced by a few doses of syrup of ipecac: my pet theory being that his mental health had deteriorated to the point where it was worth risking a kind of coup d'etat by his subordinates.
Truly, his end is worthy of one of the steamier soap operas...
Posted by: Rev. Huatou at November 8, 2004 12:36 PM Permalink