POLITICS: Tension Grows Between Arafats Wife and Political Heirs, page 1

As excepted the vacuum, soon to be created by the passing away of Arafat, is creating troubles. On one side is Arafat's wife, Suha, and the other is Arafat's political heirs, who seem to be in a hurry to take their place in the Palestinian government before "external forces" do.

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Mrs. Arafat, sophisticated, stylish and 34 years younger than her revolutionary icon husband, has used French privacy laws to keep the state of her husband's health a mystery to the world - and even to the Palestinians who were closest to him, not to speak of those ordinary people who claim him as the father of their nation.

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The very action of Mrs. Arafat cutting outside ties to Mr. Arafat is conspiracy in nature by itself, let alone the mystery over the health condition of Mr. Arafat.

In her phone interview to Al Jazeera, Arabian news network, she has accused top palestinian officials of trying to bury her husband alive and take over the power.

French officials have become mediators in this political turmoil, trying to please both sides of the party. In one occasion they convinced, with much trouble, top palestinian officials to recall their cancel of the meeting with Mr. Arafat, the reason for the cancel in the first place was was Mrs. Arafat.