Ailing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was airlifted to Paris for medical treatment early Friday, a Xinhua correspondent witnessed.

Two Jordanian helicopters airlifted Arafat from the West Bank city to the Jordanian capital Amman, where he will take a French plane to Paris for medical treatment.

Arafat, 75, has been sick over the past two weeks, suffering from what Palestinian officials said a stomach flu.

He underwent a minor diagnostic procedure Monday after complaining of stomach pains.

Arafat's senior advisor Nabil Abu Rudeina said the veteran leader was now in stable conditions but doctors had advised him toreceive follow-up checks abroad.

Yasser Abed Rabu, a member of the PLO executive committee, saidthe PLO had received international guarantees that Arafat will be able to return to the Palestinian territories after treatment in France.

"These guarantees encouraged us to take our decision that Chairman Arafat will travel early Friday to France," he said aftera meeting of the PLO and the Fatah movement.

Abed Rabu said that after the medical treatment, the Palestinian leader will return to his headquarters in the West bank city of Ramallah.

Israel has guaranteed that it will not bar Arafat from returning to the West Bank if he needs to go abroad for medical treatment.

There would be no acting leader during Arafat's absence since the prime minister, the Palestinian Legislative Council and the PLO were all there to address the daily work, said Palestinian officials.

Source: Xinhua