15 Years Later, No Information about Arafat ‘Poisoning’

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, who succeeded Arafat, laid a wreath at his tomb at a ceremony in Ramallah Photo: AFP / ABBAS MOMANI
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, who succeeded Arafat, laid a wreath at his tomb at a ceremony in Ramallah Photo: AFP / ABBAS MOMANI
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15 Years Later, No Information about Arafat ‘Poisoning’

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, who succeeded Arafat, laid a wreath at his tomb at a ceremony in Ramallah Photo: AFP / ABBAS MOMANI
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, who succeeded Arafat, laid a wreath at his tomb at a ceremony in Ramallah Photo: AFP / ABBAS MOMANI

The Palestinians, once again, and despite the lack of conclusive evidence after 15 years of investigations, accused Israel of assassinating the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat by poisoning him.

“It is not easy to get into the details of the assassination of martyr Yasser Arafat (Abu Ammar), but the settled issue is that Israel has poisoned him, but how this was done remains a mystery we are looking to resolve, ”PLO Executive Committee member [and Fatah Central Committee member] Azzam Al-Ahmad said.

He also confirmed that 15 years after forming the investigatory committee, there is no final breakthrough in the investigations on Arafat's death.

Arafat died in a French military hospital in Paris on November 11, 2004, after his health deteriorated suddenly. The inquiry into the circumstances of Arafat's death has not been made public yet.

It is worth noting that Brigadier-General Tawfik al-Tirawi led the investigations into Arafat’s death.

The assigned committee had summoned and interrogated close security men surrounding Arafat and tested on samples from the remains to see whether the leader was poisoned or not.

Speaking on the committee’s efforts to reach the truth about Arafat’s death, Tirawi said they were tireless in working to get the results on the assassination.

Palestinians on Monday had commemorated the 15th anniversary of the death of Arafat.

Hundreds marched through West Bank's Ramallah city at noon towards the mausoleum of Arafat, raised flags of the Fatah party and Palestine, and chanted slogans describing him as "the immortal leader" and the "spark of the Palestinian revolution."

An official commemoration ceremony was led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the mausoleum, where he laid a wreath of flowers on Arafat's grave.

After that, Abbas addressed the public, highlighting Arafat's role in the Palestinian Declaration of Independence that was adopted by the PLO and declared on Nov. 15, 1988.



Trump Says Gaza Ceasefire Possible this Week or Next

US President Donald Trump listens to opening remarks, on the day he hosts a lunch for African representatives of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., US, July 9, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
US President Donald Trump listens to opening remarks, on the day he hosts a lunch for African representatives of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., US, July 9, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
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Trump Says Gaza Ceasefire Possible this Week or Next

US President Donald Trump listens to opening remarks, on the day he hosts a lunch for African representatives of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., US, July 9, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
US President Donald Trump listens to opening remarks, on the day he hosts a lunch for African representatives of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., US, July 9, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

US President Donald Trump said there is a "very good chance" of a ceasefire in Gaza this week or next, after meeting Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday for the second time in two days to discuss the situation.

"We have a chance this week or next week," Trump told reporters.

Israel's military chief said on Wednesday "conditions have been created" for the advancement of a hostage release deal in Gaza, as indirect negotiations were under way between Israel and Hamas.

"We have achieved many significant results, we have caused great damage to the governance and military capabilities of Hamas," armed forces chief Eyal Zamir said in a televised speech.

"Thanks to the operational power that we have demonstrated, the conditions have been created to advance a deal to release the hostages."

Netanyahu said on Wednesday that his meeting with Trump focused on freeing the hostages held in Gaza, and stressed his determination to "eliminate" the military and governmental capabilities of Hamas.