French Officials Refute Arafat Poisoning Rumors

Officials in France announced this week that rumors of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s death from radioactive poisoning are false. The announcement came after French forensic expert examined clothes and other personal items in Arafat’s possession at the time of his death, which did contain traces of the radioactive substance polonium, but not at lethal levels. The results agree with an earlier investigation by Russian experts but disagrees with another by a team from Switzerland. In related news, chief Palestinian Authority negotiator Saeb Erekat told AFP Wednesday morning that the PA will resume its push to prosecute Israeli officials at the International Criminal Court in the Hague following the strong Likud victory in Israel’s elections on Tuesday.