FILE PHOTO SHOWS HAMAS FOUNDER SHEIKH YASSIN

LON20:MIDEAST-YASSIN:GAZA,3FEB97 - MAY96 FILE PHOTO - Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's personal doctor visited, and examined February 3 the jailed spiritual leader of the Moslem Hamas movement Sheikh Ahmed Yassim (pictured) and found him in ill health. He is suffering from chronic infection of the lungs, he is completely paralyzed, his hearing is diminished, and his health is deteriorating day by day said Dr Issa Barazi. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said in an interview last week that if he was ill the 60-year-old cleric would be released. Sheikh Ahmed Yassim is shown pictured in an Israeli jail cell May 1996. ns/files REUTERS