Egypt might hold a funeral service for Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on Friday if he dies in thenext few hours, a senior aide to Arafat said late Wednesday.

Nabil Abu Rudeina, Arafat's senior aide, told reporters upon hisarrival from Paris that Arafat's health conditions were "very bad"and many of his organs, except heart and lungs, have failed.

"Should the Palestinian leader die in the coming hours, as hisdoctors are expecting, there will be an official funeral in Cairoon Friday with the participation of kings, princes and heads ofArab and Islamic states," he said.

He added that the Palestinian leadership has decided to send himand another Palestinian official to Cairo to make funeralarrangements with Egyptian officials.

Arafat, 75, is now seriously ill at a French military hospitaland many fear that his final phase of life has come.

Egyptian presidential spokesman Maged Abdul Fattah said Wednesday that Egypt will host a funeral service for thePalestinian leader in case he dies.

Source: Xinhua