Frail Arafat Heads to Paris for Treatment

Nabil Abu Rdeneh, seated right, an adviser to Yasser Arafat, and Ashraf Kurdi, one of the Palestinian leader's physicians, address reporters at the compound in Ramallah. (Andrew Medichini -- AP)

"We allowed him to go to any hospital his doctors recommended so he can undergo very penetrating tests that they can only do with advanced equipment that they don't have in Ramallah," Gissin said. "We respected that. It's a legitimate reason."

On Thursday night, bulldozers cleared away battered, rusted cars and other debris from parking lots surrounding Arafat's headquarters, making way for the helicopter to land Friday morning. The debris was distributed around the headquarters to obstruct the advance of Israeli troops and armored vehicles.

In the past, Arafat has been reluctant to leave his compound, expressing fears that he would be snatched by Israeli soldiers and forced into exile. Sharon, who on numerous occasions has said that Israel was considering evicting Arafat, also has made veiled threats against his life. Sharon refuses to negotiate with Arafat, accusing him of sponsoring terrorism and sending Palestinian suicide bombers into Israel.

Shaath said that, in Arafat's absence, Palestinian affairs would likely be administered by Ahmed Qureia, the Palestinian prime minister, and another senior official, Mahmoud Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, who preceded Qureia as prime minister but resigned in a power struggle with Arafat about a year ago. Their responsibilities would require confirmation by the central committee of Fatah, the political movement that Arafat heads, Shaath said.

If approved by Fatah, he said, Qureia would temporarily take over Arafat's duties as leader of the Palestinian Authority, the body that governs the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and Abbas would assume Arafat's responsibilities as chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

The deterioration in Arafat's medical condition has renewed debate among Palestinian officials and political analysts over Arafat's authoritarian rule and unmatched stature, which have inhibited the rise of potential successors. Many politicians and analysts said they feared Arafat's death would fuel chaotic and divisive power struggles among rivals vying to take his place.

"The situation with Yasser Arafat is very critical," said Hani Masri, a political analyst based in Ramallah. "He has many of the cards in his hand, he has most of the Palestinian power, he is the spiritual leader, and Palestinian institutions are very weak. When he goes, there will be a lot of fighting."

But some Palestinian leaders said they were not dismayed by the prospect of change in Palestinian governing institutions.

"Many people on a human level are saddened that the absence of the president will close a chapter in the life and history of the Palestinian people," said Ziad Abu Amr, an independent Palestinian legislator from Gaza City who has criticized Arafat's failure to accept reforms. He said that under Arafat, "the Palestinian system became paralyzed, with no exercise of leadership."