Yasser Arafat Dies

About 9:30pm, EST, last night, Yasser Arafat died in a French military hospital near Paris from multiple organ failure and a brain hemorrhage. Dr. Christian Estripeau, France's top army doctor, confirmed the death. Arafat was 75.

Arafat's death was announced by Palestinian Cabinet Minister Saeb Erekat who said it was a "black day" in Palestinian history. The White House offered condolences. Grieving Palestinians poured onto the streets of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

A troubling reaction to the death came from the terrorist Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades which urged an attack on Israel to avenge the "Zionist assassination" of Arafat. The group called for Palestinians to "hit out and strike the occupation everywhere. This crime will not go without punishment." Along the same lines was a pronouncement by Khaled Mashaal, political leader for the terrorist Hamas group. Mashaal told al-Jazeera television that Israel is responsible for the crime of killing Arafat by poisoning.

His funeral is planned for Cairo, Egypt, where many believe Arafat was born although Arafat insisted he was born in Jerusalem.

According to Palestinian law, Parliament Speaker Rauhi Fattouh, a virtual unknown, will be interim president until elections are held sometime in the next two months.