PARIS -- Palestinian officials and clerics Wednesday ruled out any action to bring Yasser Arafat's life to an end prematurely. Palestinian envoy to France Leila Shahid told French Radio, France Info, Palestinian top Muslim cleric Sheik Taysser Tamimi arrived in Paris to be at Arafat's side and not to disconnect his life-sustaining machines.

"We think that having a religious man beside a dying man is normal whether he is a Muslim, Christian or Jew," Shahid said.

She stressed that Tamimi was "not coming to disconnect Mr. Arafat."

Tamimi was quoted as telling the al-Jazeera television euthanasia is prohibited under Islam and thus there will be no switching off of the machines keeping Arafat alive.

"Arafat was still alive Wednesday morning and he is in deep coma since yesterday and his condition is extremely difficult and dangerous ... He is in God's hands," she said.

In the meantime, the Palestinian delegation that visited Paris two days ago to check on Arafat arrived back in Ramallah in the West Bank and is due to meet political parties and factions later Wednesday.

The Israeli government has agreed to Palestinian plans to bury Arafat in Ramallah as Egypt announced it will host the funeral.

Palestinian sources told UPI Tuesday the official announcement of Arafat's death could be made sometime Wednesday in Ramallah.

Copyright 2004 by United Press International