Reply #62: Palestinians believe that Arafat was poisoned, as I do. [View All]

Nephew claims Arafat may have been poisoned
CHRISTOPHER CLAIRE

YASSER Arafat’s nephew last night said the lack of a diagnosis, despite extensive tests, into his uncle’s death last month raised suspicions that the late Palestinian leader died of "unnatural" causes.

The comments by Nasser al-Kidwa, after he handed over the 558-page medical dossier to Palestinian officials in Ramallah, were certain to fuel speculation that Arafat was poisoned. He died in a French hospital on November 11 after a brief illness.

Al-Kidwa repeated his statement from last month that the French doctors were unable to rule out the possibility that Arafat had been poisoned, although they said they had not found traces of "any poison known to them".

Al-Kidwa said examinations of X-rays and all manner of tests had still not led to a clear diagnosis. "That is precisely the reason why suspicions are there, because without a reason you cannot escape the possibility that there is unnatural cause for the death," he said.

http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=1201&id=1421172004

Haemorrhage killed Arafat
LAURIE COPANS
IN JERUSALEM

A "MASSIVE brain haemorrhage" killed Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian leader, last year, although it remains unclear what led to the rapid deterioration in his health, according to French medical records made public yesterday.

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"The mystery around Yasser Arafat will only grow bigger and bigger after reading this report," said Avi Isacharoff, the Israel Radio reporter who obtained the medical records with the Israeli daily Haaretz.

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According to French doctors, Mr Arafat developed a digestive ailment about 30 days before he died. He also suffered an "acute" case of a blood disorder, disseminated intravascular coagulation.

Senior Palestinian officials have accused Israel of poisoning their leader - an allegation Israeli officials reject.

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Mr Arafat became ill with nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhoea after eating dinner . The symptoms continued for more than two weeks before he was evacuated to France. He died on 11 November.

http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=1201&id=1911902005