Arafat "will not recover" (Wizbang)

Arafat is on the death-watch clock... From the Mail&Guardian:

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's condition is "extremely grave" and he will probably not recover from his illness, a French doctor said on Thursday.

The 75-year-old Arafat "is still in a coma", said the doctor, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The doctor said Arafat is not responding to treatment, and added: "He will not recover."

His death could come today, or he might hang on for a while. Other than PLO spokesmen, no one expects a recovery.

Update: Was Jacques Chirac his last visitor?

Update 2: Thanks to a tip from Paul we were first with the news, and as of this point still the most accuarte. Israeli TV reports that he's brain dead, and other bloggers have reported that Arafat IS dead. I'm sticking with the the "mostly dead" story, as it is still the most accurate assessment.

ISO - An online newspaper that jumps the gun and runs one of the wire service obituaries.

Update 3:(Paul) Israel scrambles jets over Lebanon as they brace for the reaction. Here is the latest AP story. Apparently he is brain dead but still on the machines.

Comments (33)

Feels like another Kremlin ... (Below threshold)

1. Posted by LCVRWC | November 4, 2004 11:35 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

LCVRWC:

Feels like another Kremlin watch. Anyone wanna bet he's been dead for four days, like Brezhnev was?

Posted on November 4, 2004 11:35

Maybe his doctor should get... (Below threshold)

2. Posted by arb | November 4, 2004 11:42 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

arb:

Maybe his doctor should get a peace prize.

Posted on November 4, 2004 11:42

Arafat, of course, gets a "... (Below threshold)

3. Posted by arb | November 4, 2004 11:43 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Arafat, of course, gets a "rest in peace" prize.

Posted on November 4, 2004 11:43

<a href="http://news.yahoo.... (Below threshold)

4. Posted by Frank Martin | November 4, 2004 11:46 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Frank Martin:

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20041104/wl_afp/mideast_arafat_israel_041104163523

Dig that headline baby.

Posted on November 4, 2004 11:46

- A presidential gaggle rep... (Below threshold)

5. Posted by Hunter | November 4, 2004 11:52 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Hunter:

- A presidential gaggle reporter on FOX just told Bush that Arafat has passed on to that great "72 virgin" bordello in the ground....This is no doubt another right-wing conspiracy like the one that keeps insisting that General Issimo Franco is not enjoying good health on the French Riviara....

Posted on November 4, 2004 11:52

Yeah, Chirac went through A... (Below threshold)

6. Posted by warty | November 4, 2004 11:58 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

warty:

Yeah, Chirac went through Arafat's pockets looking for Swiss bank deposit box keys...

Posted on November 4, 2004 11:58

I remember the first time Y... (Below threshold)

7. Posted by PTG | November 4, 2004 12:00 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

PTG:

I remember the first time Yasser tried blowing up a school bus: he kept burning his lips on the tail pipe.

Posted on November 4, 2004 12:00

FNC just reported that the ... (Below threshold)

8. Posted by Beth | November 4, 2004 12:23 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Beth:

FNC just reported that the PLO said they wouldn't announce his death for up to 72 hours after the fact, in order to "prepare their people." Um... shouldn't they have been preparing ever since they put him on the chopper? Just a thought....

Posted on November 4, 2004 12:23

- Now Fox is stating that "... (Below threshold)

9. Posted by Hunter | November 4, 2004 12:24 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

- Now Fox is stating that "Senior sources" in France are saying that Arafat is not quite dead yet in spite of all of his doctors efforts....Palestinian officials say they intend to slowly anounce the news of Arafats demise, waiting 72 hours before making a final announcement in order to provide a time of adjustment to insure stabiity, and to give the ailing leader 1 hour each with his well earned virgins....

Posted on November 4, 2004 12:24

Shit. If only this were Aug... (Below threshold)

10. Posted by jeff | November 4, 2004 12:35 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

jeff:

Shit. If only this were August, when ¾ of the hospital staff were en vacances

Posted on November 4, 2004 12:35

Just heard Angel of Death J... (Below threshold)

11. Posted by jeff | November 4, 2004 12:36 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Just heard Angel of Death Jimmy Carter is jetting to his side. You know he's gone

Posted on November 4, 2004 12:36

I question the timing.... (Below threshold)

12. Posted by Remy Logan | November 4, 2004 12:44 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Remy Logan:

I question the timing.

It's Bush's fault. If Bush=Winner hadn't been unredefeated Arafat would be alive and well right now. How could Bush be so heartless? Bush should have anticipated Arafat would die and conceeded the race as soon as it was announced that Arafat was sick to prevent this tragic occurence. Bush is so heartless.

Posted on November 4, 2004 12:44

I can only hope that his co... (Below threshold)

13. Posted by Parker | November 4, 2004 12:51 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Parker:

I can only hope that his condition continues to improve - rapidly!

They say good things come in threes - Bush re-elected, Arafat cashing in his chips... What's the third going to be?

Fidel, maybe?

Or Carter being pulled to the great beyond by Arafat?

Posted on November 4, 2004 12:51

Remy, when I saw a report a... (Below threshold)

14. Posted by McGehee | November 4, 2004 12:56 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

McGehee:

Remy, when I saw a report about this on another blog, I couldn't resist:

And I thought Dan Rather was having trouble with the election results.

Posted on November 4, 2004 12:56

I am heartbroken to hear an... (Below threshold)

15. Posted by Rod Stanton | November 4, 2004 12:59 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Rod Stanton:

I am heartbroken to hear another Nobel Prize winner is about to leave. Could we add Jimmy to the list?

Posted on November 4, 2004 12:59

I thought he was drain bram... (Below threshold)

16. Posted by Rich | November 4, 2004 1:03 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Rich:

I thought he was drain bramaged from the start. Just looking at him was enough for me. He was in another world in most the last videos. Then when he really got sick and they had that video of him and the doctors....looked like he tried to eat the hand of one of them. Like a baby getting fixated on one thing till you distract him. The way his handlers got him into the helicopter,grabbing his head and shoving him into it.

Posted on November 4, 2004 13:03

It rather reminds me of the... (Below threshold)

17. Posted by Kyle | November 4, 2004 1:13 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Kyle:

It rather reminds me of the dead body that claims he isn't from Monty Python & the Search for the Holy grail...

Arafat: "I'm not dead, I feel fine."

Posted on November 4, 2004 13:13

I commented on this site la... (Below threshold)

18. Posted by Norm | November 4, 2004 1:35 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Norm:

I commented on this site last week that he was in the final, terminal stages of Parkinson's and that he wouldn't last the week - my uncle went under the same conditions - hallucinations, dementia then death. He is being sustained on life support so that the lawyers can put all theiur duck in a row and legally find all the bank accounts and re-distribute the wealth...as President Bush said "God Bless his Soul"

Posted on November 4, 2004 13:35

Miracle Max : He probably o... (Below threshold)

19. Posted by Jon | November 4, 2004 1:50 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Jon:

Miracle Max : He probably owes you money huh? I'll ask him.
Inigo Montoya : He's dead. He can't talk.
Miracle Max : Whoo-hoo-hoo, look who knows so much. It just so happens that your friend here is only MOSTLY dead. There's a big difference between mostly dead and all dead. Mostly dead is slightly alive. With all dead, well, with all dead there's usually only one thing you can do.
Inigo Montoya : What's that?
Miracle Max : Go through his clothes and look for loose change.

Posted on November 4, 2004 13:50

Beautiful, Jon! I was also... (Below threshold)

20. Posted by songstress7 | November 4, 2004 2:19 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

songstress7:

Beautiful, Jon! I was also thinking of that movie when I read the phrase "mostly dead", except I was thinking of "You've been mostly dead all day!"

Posted on November 4, 2004 14:19

According to Fox News, CNN,... (Below threshold)

21. Posted by Kevin Haryett | November 4, 2004 3:20 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Kevin Haryett:

According to Fox News, CNN, CBC and others, they are saying he is NOT dead. Okay, Dead is Dead. You either ARE or ARE NOT. Its simple. Pulse or No Pulse.

I didn't know Arafat could Flip Flop too.....

Posted on November 4, 2004 15:20

He'll never be dead enough ... (Below threshold)

22. Posted by Jim | November 4, 2004 3:23 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Jim:

He'll never be dead enough for my liking. When he goes I hope he's not met in the afterlife by 72 virgins, but he's met by a 72-year old yenta

Posted on November 4, 2004 15:23

Jimmy Carter is rushing to ... (Below threshold)

23. Posted by Jim | November 4, 2004 3:27 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Jimmy Carter is rushing to be at his lover's side. I always thought Carter was in love with Arafat. Must be the towel on his head. Arafat is Carter's Rudolph Valentino in "The Sheik."

Posted on November 4, 2004 15:27

LMAO, Kevin H.... (Below threshold)

24. Posted by Jim | November 4, 2004 3:28 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

LMAO, Kevin H.

Posted on November 4, 2004 15:28

Sharon was overheard saying... (Below threshold)

25. Posted by God Bless America | November 4, 2004 3:33 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

God Bless America:

Sharon was overheard saying...

http://www.pusboil.com/seeuinhell.wav

must reload to hear

Posted on November 4, 2004 15:33

Um, okay, this is, like, ba... (Below threshold)

26. Posted by Jumbo | November 4, 2004 5:43 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Jumbo:

Um, okay, this is, like, bad news? CNN seems to thinks so. I wonder if they'll interview one of the thousands of widows, widowers and orphans he made, asking how they "feel"?

"Just heard Angel of Death Jimmy Carter is jetting to his side. You know he's gone." He'll go beore that, if only to avoid having to listen to Bitchy Will Rogers pretend to care about anything but his own rep.

Posted on November 4, 2004 17:43

If Arafat dies today he wil... (Below threshold)

27. Posted by Bill K | November 4, 2004 6:47 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Bill K:

If Arafat dies today he will have died on the same day as Rabin. Pretty crazy.

Posted on November 4, 2004 18:47

I'm heartbroken. Truly.... (Below threshold)

28. Posted by The Zero Boss | November 4, 2004 6:49 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

The Zero Boss:

I'm heartbroken. Truly.

As for the PLO spokesmen, I imagine they'll cling on to the end. Reporters will storm the hospital room and Saeb Erakat will be there animating with a Yassir Arafat sock puppet and shouting out of the corner of his mouth, "Hello, kids! I'm alive and healthy! C'mon, let's go blow up a school bus in Tel Aviv!"

Reporters will just nod their heads and mutter, "Yep - that's the Arafat we know and love!"

Posted on November 4, 2004 18:49

If he's only 'mostly dead',... (Below threshold)

29. Posted by Greg | November 4, 2004 8:26 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Greg:

If he's only 'mostly dead', I sure hope Miracle Max isn't able to come up with a chocolate-coated miracle pill to bring him back...Good Riddance. Bush wins, Arafat dying. There is a God. Been a good day to be an American!

Posted on November 4, 2004 20:26

If Arafat is dead then we c... (Below threshold)

30. Posted by Reed Bates | November 4, 2004 9:21 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Reed Bates:

If Arafat is dead then we can be sure that he knows better now.

Posted on November 4, 2004 21:21

"If Arafat is dead then we ... (Below threshold)

31. Posted by Jumbo | November 4, 2004 11:07 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

"If Arafat is dead then we can be sure that he knows better now."

That reminds me of "Marathon Man" and the (wildly approximated) final words heard by the dying Nazi :
"Guess what. The Jews are waiting for you....and they have drills."

But seriously, hate-filled monsters like Arafat merely profess belief. He never expected "72 virgins" (or even 72 pomegranates, as modern, more skillful editors have corrected the mistranslation to read). Arafat expected oblivion. No true man of any faith could be so murderous and cruel. THAT is what he is learning.

Posted on November 4, 2004 23:07

Sharon offered to bury ara... (Below threshold)

32. Posted by Excavator | November 4, 2004 11:20 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Excavator:

Sharon offered to bury arafat in Jerusalem

as long as hes still alive

ok ill admidt I stole that from Stuart Smally

Posted on November 4, 2004 23:20

33. Posted by Excavator | November 4, 2004 11:21 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Posted on November 4, 2004 23:21

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