Doctors at the hospital near Paris where he is being treated say although the coma is serious, he could recover, and his brain is still alive.

Mr Arafat has been the most important person in Palestinian politics for 40 years, and it's not clear who would take over if he died.

His supporters have been holding a vigil for him outside the hospital in Percy, just outside the French capital.

In the city of Ramallah in the West Bank, Palestinian officials are said to be talking about who would follow him as leader.

Many Palestinians see Mr Arafat as a symbol of their struggle with the Israelis.

He's been forced to stay in a compound in Ramallah on the West Bank since 2001.

Israel accuses him of stirring up violence, which he denies.