Results of Tissue Tests from Arafat's Corpse Will Take Three Months

The tissue samples forensic experts extracted from Yasser Arafat’s corpse on Nov. 27 will take weeks to examine, and it will be months after that before results are known.

Abdullah al-Bashir, a Jordanian doctor and head of the Palestinian medical committee, said the public will have to wait three months before any findings are reported.

Since Arafat’s death eight years ago, Palestinians have dependably accused Israel of killing him. And now that tissue samples have actually been taken for testing, the next three months are certain to burst with further allegations and speculation. 

Scientists opened Arafat’s grave at his widow Suha’s request, who is convinced that Israelis poisoned the former PLO leader with polonium-210. His extended family opposed the exhumation of the body, and in the end, tissue samples were taken while Arafat’s body was still in the grave.