MYFOXNY.COM -
A nephew of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat claims that Israel poisoned Arafat with radioactive polonium. It is the same substance that was used to kill former Russian spy Alexader Litvinenko in London in 2006.
Nasser al-Qidwa told the AFP that, "Those responsible for that assassination should be held accountable and judged."
A Swiss lab recently revealed that it found traces of polonium on clothing worn by Arafat. The radioactive substance is rarely found outside of military environments.
Israel denied the accusation, saying it was "not involved" in Arafat's death at a French hospital in November 2004.
Palestinian investigators looking into Arafat's death said Thursday they want to review reports from the lab before deciding whether to exhume the leader's remains.
Switzerland's Institute of Radiation Physics said it found unexplained, elevated traces of a radioactive agent, polonium-210, on clothing and personal items Arafat used before his death at a French military hospital.
The lab said the results were inconclusive and that Arafat's remains would have to be tested to learn more.
Arafat's remains are housed in a mausoleum in Abbas' walled government compound in the West Bank town of Ramallah.
Arafat's widow Suha, last week demanded that her husband's grave be reopened.
On Thursday, one of Arafat's physicians, Dr. Abdullah Bashir, reiterated the claim that Arafat was poisoned, without specifically blaming Israel.
Arafat had spent the last three years of his life under Israeli siege at his Ramallah compound, now used by Abbas.
In October 2004, the 75-year-old Arafat fell violently ill and was airlifted to France.
French doctors said he died of a massive stroke and suffered from a blood condition known as disseminated intravascular coagulation.
On Thursday, for the first time, the medical files pertaining to Arafat's illness and death have been made public.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
