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Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is shown during a meeting at his headquarters in the West Bank t

The rapidly deteriorating health of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has provoked mixed reactions from both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Both groups have expressed concern as well as hope regarding future relations within the region in the event of Arafat’s death.

Arafat, 75, was transferred to a French military hospital last Friday after losing consciousness and now reportedly suffers from mental incapacitation. The source of his illness remains unknown.

Arafat was reported to have lost consciousness at some point Thursday, and his health has continued to worsen in the past 24 hours. There have been conflicting reports as to whether or not Arafat was in a coma at any point and what his exact condition is.

There were also rumors that Arafat had died, which were promptly denied by the hospital and Palestinian officials. Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, who reported this to the press, later retracted his statement. Israeli television reported that Arafat has lost mental capacity.

Though the cause of Arafat’s illness is unknown, Palestinian officials say cancer has been ruled out.

Arafat has been the leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization since 1969.

David Keyes, a third-year political science student and former Daily Bruin employee who is currently studying at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, said there was little grief regarding the possible end of Arafat’s leadership.

“Nearly every single one of my Arab and Israeli friends over here despise Arafat. He will not be missed,” Keyes said.

Faysal Saab, president of the UCLA United Arab Society, predicts a different reception to the likely leadership change.

“Arafat is a symbol of the Palestinian struggle,” said Saab. “If Arafat dies, there will certainly be grief expressed and anger felt toward the Israelis, who have kept him under house arrest” prior to his illness.

Despite his significance to the Palestinians, Saab does not think Arafat has helped the Palestinian people.

“In terms of the future, I hope that they can find someone who can (benefit) them more than Arafat has,” Saab said.

Subhan Ali, programming chair for the Muslim Student Association of UCLA, believes the demise of Arafat would be negative, calling him an effective leader.

But others believe Arafat has been holding back the Palestinian people from reform.

“The Palestinian people really do want peace,” said Arash Nafisi, vice president for Bruins for Israel. He hopes under new leadership “the new generations can learn that it’s not all about hate but about compromise.”

UCLA political science Professor Steven Spiegel holds similar views of Arafat’s actions.

“In the long-term, Arafat’s demise creates an opportunity for a return to negotiations ... if the new government ends violence and tends toward reform,” Spiegel said.

Arafat has neither told his own government nor the international community who he feels his successor should be, Spiegel said.

There has been some question as to the role that Hamas, the Palestinian radical faction, will play if there is a power change.

“Israel is bracing for trouble due to the jockeying for power that will occur,” Spiegel said. “Initially there may be considerable chaos. Hamas will not make an explicit grab for power, but will attempt to defeat the new powers by increasing suicide bombings.”

Keyes said though life is continuing as normal, the security establishment is preparing for all possibilities, mirroring the mixture of relief and concern that exists in Israel.

“Such is the paradox of life in the Middle East,” Keyes added.

With reports from Bruin Wire Services.