Yasser Arafat has suffered a mild heart attack.
Yasser Arafat has suffered a mild heart attack but the Palestinian leadership has sought to keep his health problems secret for fear it will “create panic”.The 74-year-old Palestinian president, who is suffering from Parkinson’s disease, disappeared from public view last week and re-emerged at the weekend looking extremely ill. His face was pale and pinched, he had lost weight and he was almost inaudible. He had trouble standing for more than a few minutes at a time.
The Palestinian press said he was suffering from flu. But Palestinian officials told the Guardian that Mr Arafat had suffered a heart attack last week. “Although he has had a slight heart attack, the doctors say he will make a full recovery. He is in full control. There is nothing to worry about,” said a close aide to Mr Arafat, who did not wish to be named.
Asked why it had not been made public at the time, the official said that it would “have created panic at a critical time when the Israelis are threatening Arafat’s life”.
Just one more step closer to justice.
