I Know It's Bad to Wish Ill On Someone, But This May Be Good News

Arafat may be gravely ill. Now that the Gaza pullout plan is approved, this may be the opportunity many have been hoping for.

RAMALLAH, West Bank - Yasser Arafat (news - web sites)'s health worsened Wednesday and a team of doctors went to his compound to examine the Palestinian leader, according to a Palestinian official close to Arafat.

Arafat had been ill over the past two weeks, suffering from what Palestinian officials said was a lengthy bout of the flu. Israeli officials speculated he might have stomach cancer, but two of Arafat's doctors said Wednesday that a blood test, combined with a biopsy of tissue taken from his digestive tract, showed he does not have cancer of the digestive tract.

Late Wednesday, Arafat's condition deteriorated and his doctors rushed to his room to examine him, an official in Arafat's office said.

A senior Palestinian official denied reports that Arafat had lost consciousness.