Jerusalem Hadassah Hospital Director Shlomo Mor-Yosef said Saturday evening that the latest CT scan of the brain of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon showed a slight improvement, but his overall condition remains critical.

Sharon, who is fighting for his life after suffering a severe stroke and cerebral hemorrhage Wednesday night, was taken for a procedural CT scan Saturday morning to check for internal bleeding and examine intra-cranial pressure following surgical intervention the day before.

"The prime minister is currently in intensive care. During the Sabbath, he underwent a scheduled CT scan," Mor-Yosef told reporters outside the hospital. "Intra-cranial pressure is normal, pulse, blood pressure are normal. These measurements indicate stability," he added.

He said the CT scan shows that the condition of the left part of Sharon's brain is better than the right part. He concluded that Sharon's life is still in danger, and his condition remains critical but stable.

Mor-Yosef said, however, that the current treatment is aimed at keeping the prime minister alive.

"First we have to stabilize the situation and fight for the life of the prime minister," he said.

"We people are optimistic. But I can not say that the prime minister has come out of danger," the hospital director added. "There are very slight signs of improvement. But the condition is still critical," he said.

Mor-Yosef said the hospital's specialists in various fields will meet Saturday morning to discuss when to bring Sharon out of the medically induced coma. They will also discuss the course of treatment for the next 24 hours, he said.

Sharon remained heavily sedated and on respirator in intensive care unit Saturday, a day after he underwent a third operation in two days aimed at relieving intra-cranial pressure.

Meanwhile, acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert met with Shimon Peres on Friday to discuss the future of the Kadima party and the continuing of policies that Kadima's founder, Ariel Sharon, began.

The policies include "an unrelenting war on terror, as well as an unending effort in the direction of the peace process," Peres said.

Olmert wanted to assure Peres that he is a valued member of Kadima, even in a post-Sharon era. Olmert's move came as an effort to block any attempt by Labor Party Chairman Amir Peretz to return Peres to the Labor.

World leaders continued to send their good wishes to Sharon on Saturday, as Jordanian King Abdullah II called Olmert to express concern over Sharon's health.

A few hours later, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed his concern and support for Sharon, telling Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom "we stand firmly beside Israel."

"Along with our Israeli friends, we are worried about the health and life of the prime minister," Steinmeier said in a brief statement following the conversation.

On Friday evening, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called Olmert to express concern of the U.S. administration and nation for Sharon. She told Olmert that Americans are praying for Sharon's well-being.

Earlier, Rice canceled a six-day trip to Australia and Indonesia amid uncertainty over Sharon's condition.

Olmert thanked Rice for her wishes and updated her on the prime minister's condition. He also asked Rice to relay to President George W. Bush that his warm words on Sharon had encouraged the entire country of Israel.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak also called Olmert Friday evening to wish Sharon well. Mubarak told him that he was looking forward to continued cooperation with Israel and that good Israel-Egypt ties will continue.

Doctor says "very high" chance Sharon will survive

There is a "very high" chance that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will survive a severe brain bleeding, Channel 2 TV quoted one of his doctors as reporting on Saturday.

"I think it is very high now. I am pretty optimistic about it. We are praying there won't be complications, like catching an infection," Jose Cohen of Hadassah Hospital said.

Earlier in the day, Hadassah Hospital Director Shlomo Mor-Yosef said that the latest CT scan of the brain of Sharon showed a slight improvement, but his overall condition remains critical.

Sharon, who is fighting for his life after suffering a severe stroke and cerebral hemorrhage Wednesday night, was taken for a procedural CT scan Saturday morning to check for internal bleeding and examine intra-cranial pressure following surgical intervention the day before.

"The prime minister is currently in intensive care. During the Sabbath, he underwent a scheduled CT scan," Mor-Yosef told reporters outside the hospital. "Intra-cranial pressure is normal, pulse, blood pressure are normal. These measurements indicate stability," he added.