'Despite the improvement in his health,' Imad Shakur, a close aide to the Palestinian veteran, told the Israeli daily Ha'aretz, "his condition is quite serious" and "he will not be the same Arafat."

"From the political standpoint, Arafat's situation has already changed. The ailing Arafat is not the healthy Arafat we knew until two weeks ago", Shakur said.

"Even if he returns, and I hope that he will, he will not be the same Arafat, not for us, not for Israel, not even for himself. An old, sick man, has different needs," he added.

Shakur also said that contrary to statements by a number of Palestinian officials, the French medical team had not stated that it had ruled out leukemia.

Arafat met yesterday for the first time with some of the Palestinian officials accompanying him to Paris, where he is hospitalised, in what appeared to be a clear indication that his health is improving.

In another development, Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said if the Palestinian leader dies, he would not allow him to be buried in Jerusalem.