(Photo: Xinhua /Reuters)

    JERUSALEM, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian National Authority(PAN) Chairman Yasser Arafat's health had begun to deteriorate as of Wednesday night, Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz quoted Palestinian sources as saying.

    According to the report, senior Palestinian officials, including current Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, former Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, and the heads of various Palestinian security forces, are currently in his Ramallah headquarters.

    A team of doctors are also there to check on him. Palestinian cabinet minister Saeb Erekat said he had seen the75-year-old leader earlier on Wednesday and Arafat "was still recovering from stomach flu."

    Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath said on Tuesday that Arafat was in pain because of serious "intestinal flu", but doctors flown in from Egypt and Tunisia expected him to be feeling much better in a few days. Shaath said the doctors had ruled out stomach cancer.

    Confined to his headquarters for the past two years by Israeli forces, Arafat underwent a minor diagnostic procedure on Monday after complaining of stomach pains. Palestinian officials said then that an endoscopy found no serious ailment.

    Questions about Arafat's health have raised Palestinian fears of a bloody succession struggle after his death since he has never picked a successor. Enditem