- The Washington Times - Tuesday, December 3, 2013

A team of French investigators have ruled out the possibility that deceased Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was poisoned, contrary to a previous report by Swiss scientists that said tests on his body showed “unexpected high activity” of polonium.

“The analysis cannot lead us to affirm that Arafat died of polonium 210 poisoning,” reads the French report, a source told Al Jazeera.

The report comes to the same conclusion the French reached in 2004 — that Arafat died of a brain hemorrhage and an intestinal infection, Al Jazeera reported.

Suha Arafat, the former leader’s widow, told reporters in Paris on Tuesday that the French scientists’ report excludes the possibility of polonium poisoning, The Associated Press reported.

She said she’s “upset by these contradictions by the best European experts on the matter.”

The French report is part of an ongoing investigation into whether Arafat was murdered, the AP said.


SEE ALSO: Former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was poisoned, Swiss study reveals


• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.

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