Yasser
Arafat's nephew said Saturday his uncle may have died an "unnatural"
death, a statement certain to renew speculation among Palestinians and
in the rest of the Arab world where many already believe the late
leader was poisoned despite Israel's repeated and vehement denials.
Nasser al-Kidwa, who is also Palestinian envoy to the United nations,
made the comments after he handed over the 558-page medical dossier to
Palestinian officials in Ramallah. No diagnosis or reason has been
given for Arafat's death on Nov. 11 at a French hospital. Al-Kidwa's
remarks could cause fresh tension between Israel and the Palestinians
at a time when it appeared relations were improving. By providing fuel
for rumors that Arafat was poisoned, his comments could also make it
more difficult for a new Palestinian leadership to take control after
presidential elections on Jan. 9. But a decision on Saturday by
Israel's dovish Labor Party to join Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's
government could pave the way for him to implement his Gaza withdrawal
plan and restart peace talks with the Palestinians. After handing the
558-page medical dossier to interim Palestinian President Rauhi Fattouh
, Al-Kidwa said French doctors could not rule out poisoning, but had
not found traces in Arafat's body of "any poison known to them." [more]
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