Yasser Arafat may have been poisoned with polonium, forensic tests show
- 10 years ago
Originally published on November 7, 2013
A Swiss forensic report obtained by al-Jazeera shows that the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat may have been poisoned with radioactive polonium. The test results show that the level of polonium in his body was 18 times higher than normal.
"This has confirmed all our doubts," Arafat's widow Suha Arafat said in an interview with Reuters. "It is scientifically proved that he didn't die a natural death and we have scientific proof that this man was killed."
Suha Arafat told Reuters that Yasser Arafat had many enemies, but she did not accuse any country or person. However, she noted that Israel had branded him an obstacle to peace.
The government of Israel denied any role in Arafat's death and claimed the findings of the report are not conclusive.
Last year scientists and legal experts from Switzerland, France and Russia arrived in the West Bank to exhume the body of late Palestinian Liberation Organisation leader.
Previous investigations carried out by the Institute of Radiation Physics in Lausanne found high levels of the radioactive element polonium 210 in Arafat's personal effects including his kaffiyeh, underwear and toothbrush, suggesting Arafat may have been poisoned with polonium.
Polonium has a half-life of 138 days, which means that the substance decays by half every 138 days. Symptoms of polonium poisoning include diarrhea, vomiting, reduction of white blood cells and hair loss, all of which were symptoms Arafat exhibited before he passed away.
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A Swiss forensic report obtained by al-Jazeera shows that the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat may have been poisoned with radioactive polonium. The test results show that the level of polonium in his body was 18 times higher than normal.
"This has confirmed all our doubts," Arafat's widow Suha Arafat said in an interview with Reuters. "It is scientifically proved that he didn't die a natural death and we have scientific proof that this man was killed."
Suha Arafat told Reuters that Yasser Arafat had many enemies, but she did not accuse any country or person. However, she noted that Israel had branded him an obstacle to peace.
The government of Israel denied any role in Arafat's death and claimed the findings of the report are not conclusive.
Last year scientists and legal experts from Switzerland, France and Russia arrived in the West Bank to exhume the body of late Palestinian Liberation Organisation leader.
Previous investigations carried out by the Institute of Radiation Physics in Lausanne found high levels of the radioactive element polonium 210 in Arafat's personal effects including his kaffiyeh, underwear and toothbrush, suggesting Arafat may have been poisoned with polonium.
Polonium has a half-life of 138 days, which means that the substance decays by half every 138 days. Symptoms of polonium poisoning include diarrhea, vomiting, reduction of white blood cells and hair loss, all of which were symptoms Arafat exhibited before he passed away.
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TomoNews is your daily source for top animated news. We've combined animation and video footage with a snarky personality to bring you the biggest and best stories from around the world.
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https://www.youtube.com/user/TomoNewsUS
Subscribe to stay updated on all the top stories:
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Stay connected with us here:
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