AMMAN, Jordan -- Palestinian officials said life sustaining artificial respiratory machines keeping Yasser Arafat alive will be switched off when the time comes. Amman's daily al-Ghad Tuesday quoted the unidentified officials as saying the decision to remove the respirator will be taken by members of a high-ranking official Palestinian team, who arrived in Paris Monday.

"There is no more hope that he will ever return to life," the sources said of Arafat who has been in coma for four days.

Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath, Mahmoud Abbas, secretary of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Palestinian Legislative Council chief Rawhi Ftouh and Selim Zaanoun, head of the Palestinian National Council or parliament-in-exile, will make the decision after consulting with French officials, the sources said.

They said the Palestinian leadership believes keeping Arafat alive artificially is inhumane.

In Paris, the chief medical doctor at Percy military hospital said Arafat's condition further deteriorated overnight and he has entered a deeper stage of coma.

Arafat's wife, Suha, has reportedly refused to switch off the life-sustaining machines and is controlling all press releases and reports on her husband's health, taking advantage of a French law that grants her that right.

Mrs. Arafat sharply criticized her husband's top aides on Monday accusing them of seeking to bury him alive.

Copyright 2004 by United Press International