Officials hesitant to exhume Arafat remains
Source: Agencies |
July 13, 2012, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
IN an apparent flip-flop, Palestinian investigators looking into Yasser Arafat's death said yesterday they want to review reports from a Swiss lab before deciding whether to exhume the leader's remains.
Earlier this week, a senior West Bank official said a final decision was made to examine Arafat's bones. That development followed an announcement by Switzerland's Institute of Radiation Physics, which said it found unexplained, elevated traces of a radioactive agent, polonium-210, on clothing and personal items Arafat used before his November 11, 2004, death at a French military hospital.
The lab said the results were inconclusive and that Arafat's remains would have to be tested to learn more.
Since Arafat's death, several senior Palestinian officials have alleged that Israel poisoned the Palestinian leader, a charge Israel vehemently denied. At the time of his death, Israel had accused Arafat of complicity in the second Palestinian uprising.
Testing Arafat's bones could offer the last chance to get to the bottom of Palestinian claims that their leader was poisoned, though some experts cautioned it may already be too late for conclusive answers.
Earlier this week, a top Palestinian official, Saeb Erekat, said President Mahmoud Abbas decided to exhume the body and would invite a team from the Swiss lab to come to the West Bank to perform the tests.
In an apparent reversal, members of a Palestinian committee set up to investigate Arafat's death suggested yesterday the final word has not been spoken on whether to dig up the remains.
Arafat's remains are housed in a mausoleum in Abbas' walled government compound in the West Bank town of Ramallah.
Justice Minister Ali Mohanna, a member of the committee, said Palestinian officials first want to review the Swiss lab report before deciding what to do.
Former Palestinian intelligence chief Tawfik Tirawi suggested yesterday that Arafat's widow Suha decided to let the committee take the lead in deciding whether to conduct an autopsy. Tirawi said he spoke to Mrs Arafat two days ago. He did not elaborate, and it was not clear if he meant she would withdraw her request for exhuming the remains if the committee made such a decision.
Earlier this week, a senior West Bank official said a final decision was made to examine Arafat's bones. That development followed an announcement by Switzerland's Institute of Radiation Physics, which said it found unexplained, elevated traces of a radioactive agent, polonium-210, on clothing and personal items Arafat used before his November 11, 2004, death at a French military hospital.
The lab said the results were inconclusive and that Arafat's remains would have to be tested to learn more.
Since Arafat's death, several senior Palestinian officials have alleged that Israel poisoned the Palestinian leader, a charge Israel vehemently denied. At the time of his death, Israel had accused Arafat of complicity in the second Palestinian uprising.
Testing Arafat's bones could offer the last chance to get to the bottom of Palestinian claims that their leader was poisoned, though some experts cautioned it may already be too late for conclusive answers.
Earlier this week, a top Palestinian official, Saeb Erekat, said President Mahmoud Abbas decided to exhume the body and would invite a team from the Swiss lab to come to the West Bank to perform the tests.
In an apparent reversal, members of a Palestinian committee set up to investigate Arafat's death suggested yesterday the final word has not been spoken on whether to dig up the remains.
Arafat's remains are housed in a mausoleum in Abbas' walled government compound in the West Bank town of Ramallah.
Justice Minister Ali Mohanna, a member of the committee, said Palestinian officials first want to review the Swiss lab report before deciding what to do.
Former Palestinian intelligence chief Tawfik Tirawi suggested yesterday that Arafat's widow Suha decided to let the committee take the lead in deciding whether to conduct an autopsy. Tirawi said he spoke to Mrs Arafat two days ago. He did not elaborate, and it was not clear if he meant she would withdraw her request for exhuming the remains if the committee made such a decision.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
