Arafat's Body Exhumed
Israel murdered Arafat.
by Stephen Lendman
On November 27, Arafat's body was exhumed. Samples were taken from his remains and surrounding soil. Tests are being conducted. International experts are involved.
Earlier evidence proved he died from radioactive polonium poisoning. Tests will check for all possible toxic substances.
Israel had motive and opportunity. Mossad and Shin Bet have long histories of targeted assassinations. They use poisons and other means. Ariel Sharon's government bears full responsibility.
Fourteen months earlier, then Israeli Vice Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told Israeli radio after a cabinet meeting:
"How are we going to" remove Arafat? "Expulsion is certainly one of the options, and killing is also one of the options."
In July 2000, Arafat fell out of favor. Bill Clinton hosted him and then Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak at Camp David.
Barak insisted Arafat sign a "final agreement" and declare an "end of conflict." Doing so would have renounced any legal claim to Palestine land.
Nothing was put in writing. No documents or maps were presented. Barak wanted Palestinian land divided into four isolated bantustans surrounded by expanding settlements and other Israeli controlled territory.
He offered terms no responsible leader would accept. He demanded unconditional surrender. Arafat refused and was unfairly blamed. It very likely led to his death by assassination.
On September 29, 2000, a second Intifada erupted. Sharon provoked it. On September 28, accompanied by 1,000 Israeli troops and police, he staged a provocative visit to Islam's third holiest site - the Haram al-Sharif sacred shrine and Al-Aqsa Mosque.
A cycle of violence followed. Jenin perhaps was most affected. In April 2002, its refugee camp was attacked.
Hundreds of buildings were destroyed. Palestinians were buried under rubble. Water and power were cut off. Food, medical aid, and other essentials were kept out. Unknown numbers of civilian men, women and children were slaughtered in cold blood.
IDF violence targeted other areas. Palestinians never had a chance. When the five-year Intifada ended, 4,166 Palestinians died. Among them were 886 children and 271 women.
