Dementia - I believe he has had for at least 10 years. Too bad leukemia is treatable today - or can be delayed.
Actually, the dementia is an off shoot of the luekemia, and is a sign that the lukemia is in advanced stanges. Arafat is dying, and it cannot be reversed. he will be gone within a few months.
The palestinians basically killed him. The signs of his disease have been there for the last couple years, but they said it was the flu, stress, etc etc etc.
Had Arafat been diagnosed and put under treatment in his early stages, he would have been able to have a full recovery. Now, he is beyond medical help, other than being sedated and kept breathing for a while.
Good riddance to bad rubbish.
Leukemia in older people is difficult to treat. Luckily, for kids, the cure rate is almost 90%.