FRANCE: The precise cause of Yasser Arafat's death remained unclear yesterday after his nephew collected the late Palestinian leader's medical records from France.The trip follows mounting rumours among Palestinians that he was poisoned by Israel.
The 558-page dossier indicated that there were "no known poisons" in the president's blood when he died. However, the files provided no clear diagnosis for what triggered his death on November 11th in France.
"For the French authorities, medically, the file was considered closed. For us, and because of the lack of a clear diagnosis, a question mark remains, and personally I believe it will remain for some time," said Mr Nasser al-Kidwa, the nephew.
Despite the wishes of Arafat's widow, Suha, that the medical records remain the private property of his family, the files will be handed to Palestinian Authority officials. "Yasser Arafat does not belong to one person or to a family, but to the whole Palestinian people," Mr Kidwa said.
Although he refused to rule out poisoning, Mr Kidwa indicated the medical notes backed up the comments by French doctors. French officials said there were no grounds to suspect poisoning.