Associates of Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat said on Friday that his health was in decline again, Channel One has reported. Hadash MK Ahmed Tibi dismissed the reports, stating that Arafat was only suffering another bout of the flu.  | "Inclining, perhaps, or reclining, but certainly not declining." |
| Just like Generalissimo Franco. |
The chairman has apparently had a temperature, fatigue and other signs of the disease in recent days. However, one of Arafat's aides had said on Tuesday that Arafat's health had improved. | "Piffle! He's the very picture of health." |
Arafat apparently caught his cold two weeks ago on Tuesday, while walking in the windy courtyard of his headquarters, aides said. That evening, he felt nauseous during dinner, couldn't finish his meal and went to bed early, an aide added. His condition was so bad Friday that he was unable to complete the first day of Ramadan prayers and unlike past years, he did not receive delegations arriving at his headquarters known as the Muqata in the West Bank city of Ramallah for his holiday blessings. |