Is he or isn't he?

While we have seen denials over the last few days that Arafat is brain dead, or in a coma, he does seem to be near the end. His top aides are gathering around him and there are plans to bury him in the Gaza strip. It is a relief that they have finally decided on a burial spot, since there was previously conflict over whether he would be allowed to be buried in Jerusalem as he originally wished. His exact cause of illness remains unknown, that ABC has just reported that he currently has liver failure. I have also seen reports that he may have been poisoned, though this seems to be more of a conspiracy theory than fact as of now.

The entire world is watching this story, since it can have a huge impact on the Israel/Palestine peace process. There have been calls for the violence to pause when things are sorted out, but I am unsure if the terrorist groups will be able to reign in their members in light of some of the rumors that Arafat may have been poisoned.

*Update* I ran across my favorite article on the topic. One aide said that Arafat is sleeping, he is not in a coma. Though the aide also refused to say whether he actually saw Arafat, or the nature of any tests that determined that he was simply asleep and not in a coma.