A Palestinian envoy to the United Nations, Nasser al-Kidwa, called for an investigation into the death of Arafat, but also stated that there was no
evidence that Israel had poisoned him. He does not discount the possibility that Arafat was poisoned, however. The rumors began when another
Palestinian official commented that Arafat must have been poisoned by Israel, although no evidence was presented for this. Arafat, at 75 years old,
had been suffering from poor health for years before he died on Thursday in a French hospital. He had been taken to Paris "after a test showed that
he had a low count of blood platelets."
ap.tbo.com
Responding to widespread rumors in the Arab world that Israel killed Arafat, Nasser al-Kidwa, the Palestinian envoy to the United Nations, said it was
a "possibility" that Arafat had been poisoned. But he made clear there is nothing to back up this claim.
Al-Kidwa's comments on the poisoning rumors were the first by a Palestinian official since Arafat's death. The 75-year-old Palestinian leader who
had been suffering from poor health for years died Thursday in Paris, where he was taken Oct. 29 for treatment after tests showed he had a low count
of blood platelets.
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No one has yet released any information on the cause of death of Arafat, not the French doctors who treated him nor Palestinian officials. Although
when Arafat was being treated in France, Nabil Shaath, his foregin adviser had said that poisoning had been ruled out.
It is my believe that Arafat's death is going to be used for political gain and as an excuse for more terrorist acts by Palestinians. As Arafat's
nephew, Al-Kidwa, proclaimed that Israel was also at fault since Arafat had been confined to his compound for three years. Israeli officials are
denying any involvement in his death and that they allowed medical doctors to examine him, and for him to be flown to Paris for treatment.
Related News Links:
www.sptimes.com
olympics.reuters.com
[edit on 15-11-2004 by Banshee]
