October 27, 2004
HELL AWAITS:
Yasser Arafat loses consciousness: Israeli public radio (AFP, 10/28/04)
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, 75, has lost consciousness, Israeli public radio reported, quoting Palestinian sources.Posted by Orrin Judd at October 27, 2004 5:50 PMHe lost consciousness "several hours ago", it said.
Arafat's senior adviser Nabil Abu Rudeina, meanwhile, confirmed that a team of doctors was examining the veteran Palestinian leader.
"A team of Tunisian and Palestinian doctors is examining the president," Abu Rudeina said in a statement read out to journalists in front of Arafat's headquarters in the West Bank town of Ramallah.
October surprise, baby.
Posted by: brian at October 27, 2004 5:53 PMA few months ago on Lucianne.com, somebody posted a song (sung to "Frosty the Snowman") in response to reports of Arafat's ill health. I remember these lines:
Yasser the dead man,
You have told your final lie.
With the soul of a rat and a rag for a hat
You can kiss your ass goodbye!
Yasser the dead man,
You have killed your final Jew.
The facade is down, you butchering clown,
There's a place in hell for you!
Oh crap--hang on for one more week, Arafat! I just joined the dead pool and if you die before the month ends, it won't count.
Once it's November, of course, please die immediately.
Posted by: Timothy at October 27, 2004 6:07 PMEh. Just had the unpleasant experience of realizing that, on learning this news, I felt glee at the possibility he might clutch. Not that he hasn't deserved to shuffle off for years & years now, but, it's an ugly bit of shadenfreude, nonetheless.
Posted by: Twn at October 27, 2004 6:34 PMA good Jewish physician could probably help him out.
Posted by: genecis at October 27, 2004 8:07 PMThe best hospitals between Arafat and Boston are at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, but they will not treat him, although they have treated thousands of Palestinians for free. They do not want to be blamed when he dies.
Arafat goes to a fortune teller and asks: "On what day will I die?"
The fortune teller said: "It will be on a Jewish Holiday."
Arafat said: "Which one? Rosh Ha'Shonah? Yom Kippur?"
The fortune teller said: "I do not know, but what ever day you die, that day will be a Jewish Holiday."
Posted by: Robert Schwartz at October 27, 2004 9:05 PMHis death shows the wisdom of not whacking him. All things come to he who waits.
Posted by: pj at October 27, 2004 10:36 PMThe Red Sox win the World Series and Arafat is on his deathbed. It doesn't get much better than this.
Posted by: Bart at October 28, 2004 12:20 AMBart: You could throw in Comrade Fidel and make it a hat-trick.
Posted by: jd watson at October 28, 2004 12:31 AMActually, Arafat has been unconscious for years. Only now (with Bush & Sharon) are we realizing it.
The Saudi-sponsored funerals should be quite extravagant. But they will present quite a target-rich environment, too.
Posted by: jim hamlen at October 28, 2004 10:35 AMBart: a Bush landslide and it doesn't get any better.
Posted by: pchuck at October 28, 2004 12:05 PM