Jerusalem: Nearly five years after the death
of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, the Fatah movement
founded by him has concluded that he was assassinated by
Israel.
Delegates at the Fatah Congress, gathered for the first
time in 20 years, today unanimously accepted a proposal put
forth by the Chairman of the Arafat Institute stating that
Israel had been behind the "assassination" of the iconic
leader and decided to set up an inquiry commission to probe
the matter.
The members of the commission will be appointed at a
later date, but Arafat's nephew Nasser al-Kidwa is expected to
head the commission.
The Congress, in the west Bank town of Bethlehem, also
called for an international commission to investigate the
circumstances of the former PA Chairman's death.
Arafat died in November 2004 after his physical
condition dramatically deteriorated in October, shortly after
Israel authorised his transfer to a French military hospital.
The Palestinian leader spent two weeks in isolation in
the hospital and was allowed visits only by his wife Suha, and
a few close confidantes under tight security.
The lack of credible information on Arafat's condition
has led to various rumours with some blaming Israel of
poisoning him while others claiming that he had AIDS.
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, August 06, 2009, 22:25