Arafat's health

Is it possible that Arafat isn't really sick at all - or at least no sicker than he normally is - and all these dramatic stories about him were simply in aid of getting him to Paris for high-level talks concerning the long-awaited European sanctions against Israel? Like Castro, the guy's probably immortal (and I can't see him allowing himself to die before Sharon). Despite a startling move to a more varied choice in head coverings, he doesn't look sick to me. Greatly inconsistent stories make me very suspicious.