Palestinians Take Needed Arafat Samples Without Exhuming Corpse

After all the back and forth between Yasser Arafat’s widow and his extended family over whether the fallen PLO leader’s body should or should not be exhumed, it seems “forensic experts managed to take samples from the corpse without having to exhume” Arafat’s remains.

You’ll recall the push for exhumation began earlier this year when polonium-210 was found on garments Arafat’s widow Suha had provided a Swiss lab. Upon this discovery, the widow pushed to have Arafat’s body exhumed so tissue samples could be taken: and tested.

The goal was to find out if someone (read Israel) had poisoned the late Palestinian leader.

Then two weeks ago, Arafat’s nephew Nasser al-Kidwa voiced staunch opposition to exhuming the body. Kidwa argued that Palestinians were already certain Israel had poisoned Arafat, so there was “no justification” for digging up his remains. 

In the end, Suha and Kidwa both got their wishes. The grave was opened and samples were taken, but the body was not exhumed.