London, Oct 08: Yasser Arafat suffered a mild heart attack last week, but the news was not made public for fear it would "create panic", the Guardian newspaper reported today, quoting a close aide to the Palestinian leader. "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," the aide, who did not wish to be named, told the paper. Asked why it had not been made public at the time, the official said the news would "have created panic at a critical time when the Israelis are threatening Arafat's life". The guardian reported that Israeli officials said Arafat's health was not a factor as the government considered whether or not to carry out its threat to "remove" the 74-year-old Palestinian leader, who has appeared pale in recent days. "It would be very convenient if nature were to take its course," an Israeli foreign ministry official, Jonathan Peled, told the paper.
"But Arafat is a cat with nine lives and we do not believe he has used all of them yet."
If Arafat needs medical treatment not available in Ramallah, where he has his headquarters, he would be likely to travel to Egypt or Jordan, but only if the Israelis guaranteed his return to the West Bank, the paper said.
Peled told the daily that the Israeli government would be happy to see Arafat leave, but was unlikely to allow him to return.
Bureau Report