JERUSALEM/RAMALLAH, Oct. 28 (Xinhuanet) -- A senior Palestinian official denied Thursday that a three-man committee has been appointed to act for the ailing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who was in critical condition after a stomach flu Wednesday.     

    Reports denied

    "There is no committee that has been formed. This is not true,"Arafat's senior advisor Nabil Abu-Rudeineh told reporters at Arafat's compound in Ramallah.

    The Qatar-based al-Jazeera TV channel reported that Arafat, whois now in critical condition, has named a three-man committee to take over power in his absence.

    The committee groups Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei and his predecessor Mahmud Abbas and Parliament Speaker Salim al-Zaanoun, said the report, adding the trio will take over power for the veteran leader in case of his surgery.

    The advisor also denied earlier reports claiming Arafat had collapsed and had lost consciousness for several hours.

    "A team of Tunisian and Palestinian doctors is examining the president," he said, adding that Arafat's condition was stable andhe "needs more rest because of his fatigue."

    A Palestinian official revealed Wednesday night that Arafat hadcollapsed, was unconscious for about ten minutes and remained in "very difficult situation."

    Earlier, a Palestinian cabinet minister said Arafat is "very, very sick, and that a team of Jordanian doctors was urgently summoned to examine him."

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

    Israel allows Arafat to go anywhere for treatment

    Israel will let Arafat go for treatment anywhere he chooses, whether at home or abroad, Israeli officials said Wednesday night.

    "He can go for treatment anywhere he wants, in or out of the country," said one senior Israeli official, but added that the question of whether Arafat could return afterwards was "a separateissue after he recuperates."

    Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz on Wednesday approved a Palestinian request to allow Jordanian doctors to examine Arafat and granted permission to transfer Arafat to a hospital in Ramallah

    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.

    Arafat's wife, Suha Arafat, who lives in France, was expected to arrive in Ramallah on Thursday in rush to his bedside.     

    Security Tightened

    Security was tightened after the veteran Palestinian leader washospitalized Wednesday night.

    "Agents of the Palestinian security service had been called back to their posts as soon as possible and go on alert," said a Palestinian official.

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

    About 1,000 Palestinians were gathering outside of his headquarters in Ramallah overnight for his health news. Enditem