Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat died early on Thursday at a French military hospital outside Paris.
The announcement was made by Palestinian presidential secretary Tayeb Abdelrahim at the Muqataa headquarters. Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat confirmed the death of the Palestinian leader.
The French military hospital, where Arafat had been under medical treatment, said he died in intensive care at 3:30 AM. (0230GMT).
Former Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath and Parliament Speaker Rawhi Fattuh visited him there on Monday.
Arafat, 75, had suffered from a variety of digestive tract ailments since he had been confined to his Ramallah headquarters by the Israeli army. He was transferred to the French military hospital on October 29.
The French government is understood to have made preparations for the transport of Arafat's body. The Palestinian National Authority agreed at a meeting on Wednesday to hold his funeral in Cairo in the case of his death.
A senior cabinet official announced Wednesday that a series of meetings had been held since Tuesday night to discuss repatriation of his body if he died.
Cabinet minister Qadoura Fares had said that, "If Arafat dies, the body of the president will be brought to Cairo where Arab and international leaders and presidents could greet him for the last time."
His body will then be taken to the Muqataa, where the burial, mourning and condolences would take place, said Fares.
(Xinhua News Agency November 11, 2004)
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