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Nov. 11, 2013
Daily summary - Monday, November 11, 2013
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Main News
ACTIVITIES TAKE OFF IN COMMEMORATION OF THE NINTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT ARAFAT; VIOLENT CLASHES IN BETHLEHEM
Last night, activities were launched on the 9th anniversary of the death of late President Yasser Arafat in Ramallah ahead of activities today throughout the homeland. The evening in the Cultural Palace was kicked off with a recorded speech by President Mahmoud Abbas, in which he first promised the people to get to the bottom of Arafat’s death by “searching for the truth, regardless of the obstacles and complications.” He also said the leadership would continue on its path it began since the start of the Palestinian revolution until it reaches its goal of establishing an independent Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital. Abbas called on Israel to assume its responsibilities towards peace and to halt settlements and settler attacks on Palestinians, including on the Aqsa Mosque. Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah followed with his speech, saying that it was their responsibility to maintain the achievements reached by Arafat through achieving national unity. In Jericho, a march in commemoration of Arafat’s death took place along with a huge festival in the center of the city. http://www.al-(ayyam.ps/article.aspx?did=227277&date=)
In related news, clashes broke out this morning in Taqou’ east of Bethlehem between youths and Israeli occupation forces during a march organized by school students commemorating the anniversary of Arafat’s death. Israeli troops fired stun and teargas grenades at the youths, while clashes continued throughout the morning. (http://qudsnet.com/news/View/257287/بيت-لحممواجهات-عنيفة-مع-الاحتلال-عقب-مسيرة-لاحيا-ذكرى-عرفات/)
NETANYAHU: WE ARE WAITING FOR A PALESTINIAN BEN GURION; THE WORLD SHOULD STOP PAMPERING THEM
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his doubts over the desire of the Palestinian leadership to reach a peace deal with Israel, but said he still held out hope for a solution. During a meeting with the Jewish Federation of North America, Netanyahu also criticized the way the international community deals with the Palestinians, saying that “it cannot pamper them forever.” He said that if the Palestinians expected Israel to recognize a Palestinian state for the Palestinian people, they also had to recognize a Jewish state for the Jewish people. He said he hoped that both sides would offer “historical concessions” during the negotiations. “Cold peace is better than hot war, but I am hoping for a warm peace.” He said that Israel was waiting for a “Palestinian Ben Gurion” to end the conflict and recognize Israel as a Jewish state and who would educate his people about peace. Netanyahu said Israel was “negotiating reasonably and with good intentions” but added that there were some things they could not concede over, in reference to Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley. (http://maannews.net/arb/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=646070)
SHTAYEH: ISRAEL’S DEMAND FOR RECOGNITION OF ISRAEL AS A JEWISH STATE COMPLICATES AND HINDERS THE NEGOTIATIONS PROCESS
Fatah Central Committee member and member of the Palestinian negotiating team, Mohammed Shtayeh said yesterday that the Israeli demand from the Palestinians to recognize Israel as a Jewish state was rejected because it was not one of the final status issues. Shtayeh said that it also showed the Israeli side’s lack of seriousness in the process, saying that it complicated negotiations rather than pushing them forward. Shtayeh pointed out that mutual recognition took place between Israel and the PLO in 1993, saying that Israel cannot come now with new conditions. He went on to say that, “Israel could ask the international community to change its name to whatever it wants, but confining this demand to the Palestinians was totally rejected.” He said that through this demand, Israel wanted to achieve a number of goals: blocking the way for the right of return; impinging on the future of 1.7 million Palestinians who live inside Israel today; third, that through this demand, Israel is also demanding recognition of the Jewish narrative on Palestine and denying the Islamic and Christian narratives. Shtayeh said we should ask why Israel has never demanded this from anyone but the Palestinians. (http://www.al-ayyam.ps/article.aspx?did=227280&date=)
NASSER QIDWA CALLS FOR TRANSFERING THE FILE ON ARAFAT’S DEATH TO THE UN
Late President Yasser Arafat’s nephew and member of Fatah’s Central Committee, Nasser Qidwa called yesterday for the investigation file on the death of Arafat to be turned over to the UN General Assembly. During the ceremony for the Yasser Arafat’s award for achievement in Ramallah, Qidwa said that the move to the UN would be in order to create a political and international legal climate that could lead to other steps in seriously dealing with this issue. Qidwa, who is also a member of the Palestinian investigation team, told Reuters that “we do not need more evidence; what we need is a clear political stance condemning the crime and calling for a criminal trial.” He said the latest lab reports by the Swiss forensic institute were enough to confirm that Arafat was poisoned, putting the blame squarely on Israel. He said Israel was the only party that had the poisonous polonium 210 not to mention all of the evidence pointing in its direction. Qidwa added that if there was a ‘local perpetrator, a traitor who helped carry out the assassination” then this was also important for the Palestinians in terms of serving justice and meting out punishment. He said the Palestinians must continue to insist that Israel admit to its actions so that legal action could be taken. (http://maannews.net/arb/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=646068)
ISRAEL DISTRIBUTES FLYERS MARKING THE START OF THE “KEDAM” PROJECT TO JUDAIZE SILWAN; ONE INJURED OTHERS ARRESTED IN CLASHES IN THE TOWN
Israeli Jerusalem Municipality teams distributed yesterday flyers to a number of residents of the Wadi Helwa neighborhood of Silwan, ahead of the project named the “Kedam Complex, City of David, Old City Basin” at the Moroccan Gate at the entrance to Silwan. The flyers said the project, numbered 13542 aims at building a tourist center which includes a parking lot in the area of the ‘national garden around Jerusalem’s wall, under the pretext of development and the discover of an archeological site. The ‘local organization’ committee called anyone ‘personally harmed by this project” to submit an objection within 60 days”. Ahmad Qara’een, a member of the Wadi Helwa committee in Silwan said in a statement last night that the Kedam project will be established exactly adjacent to the Aqsa Mosque compound wall from the southern end and on land belonging to the people of Silwan. He said this land used to be used for agricultural purposes until the city was occupied in 1967 after which the Israeli Jerusalem municipality confiscated it. Two rooms belonging to the Abdu family were demolished and the land was turned into a parking lot. In 2003, the settler group Elad took over the land and plans for the project have been ongoing ever since. Qara’een said the building will be executed over a 16,000 square meter area with several stories with a parking lot for settlers, stores and tourist centers in addition to offices for Elad. He also said the project was built over the network of underground tunnels dug by Israel under the Old City.
The Wadi Helwa committee called on the PA in its capacity of member of UNESCO to work quickly to prevent the Kedam plan from being implemented on grounds that it in contravention with international law in terms of an occupied power altering archeological and historical landmarks. He also said the residents were preparing objection to the plan to submit in the coming days. (http://maannews.net/arb/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=646045).
In related news, 15-year old Diana Maragha was injured last night and a young man arrested in Silwan during confrontations with Israeli occupation troops. According to head of the Wadi Helwa information center Jawad Siam, the soldiers began randomly firing stun grenades in the neighborhood, prompting clashes between the people and the troops. Ayub Maragha was arrested as well. One bird shop was also burned after a stun grenade caused an electrical fire. http://www.al-(ayyam.ps/article.aspx?did=227282&date=)
HAMAS GOVERNMENT: THE GAZA STRIP IS EXPERIENCING THE ‘HARSHEST CYCLES OF THE SIEGE”
The Hamas government’s cabinet secretary general Abdel Salam Siyam said yesterday that the Gaza Strip was going through the worst cycles of the siege, adding that there were “Egyptian efforts to comprehend the needs of the Palestinian people in Gaza and to alleviate the burden of the siege on them” either through the tunnels or by other means. In a statement issued by the cabinet’s media office, Siyam talked about the harshness of the siege and the targeting of the “alternatives set up by the Palestinians to confront this siege, the tunnels, which have been shut down completely.” He said the closing of the tunnels has ‘cast its shadow on everything in Gaza” including the electricity. He said the people do not receive more than 20% of their power needs, in addition to shortages in fuel, construction materials, medicines and industrial and agricultural supplies along with importing and fishing needs. Siyam said the losses in these sectors was estimated at tens of millions of dollars a day. Siyam clarified that there would not be a need for these tunnels if the crossings were opened to people and goods, but said they had to resort to the tunnels as a main artery for life in the Strip. He went on to say that the government was putting the ‘last touches’ on an understanding with Qatar to supply them with fuel for the power station along with European funding for various economic projects in addition to Turkish aid for municipalities and hospitals. (http://www.alquds.com/news/article/view/id/472228)
PALESTINIAN POLICE ARREST JOURNALIST GEORGE QANAWATI; ISRAELI FORCES WAGE WIDESCALE ARREST CAMPAIGN IN WEST BANK
Palestinian police arrested last night journalist George Qanawati, director of the Bethlehem 2000 radio station after raiding his home in Bethlehem. Captain Loay Zreiqat, head of the public relations and media department in the Bethlehem police headquarters, said his arrest was based on charges made against him for cursing and defiling the head of police Omar Shalabi during his radio program “Amar ya Balad” last Thursday. (http://www.alquds.com/news/article/view/id/472255)
Furthermore, Israeli occupation forces raided several areas of the West Bank and Jerusalem this morning, arresting a number of youths. In Nablus, Israeli forces arrested three young men and in Ya’abad another one citizen. Several were arrested in Ramallah and four in Bethlehem. In Taqoa’ several youths were also arrested. In Ezzariyeh, Mohammed Amouri handed himself in to the Maaleh Adumim police station after troops raided his family home and demanded that he come out. (http://qudsnet.com/news/View/257286/قوات-الاحتلال-تشن-حملة-إعتقالات-ومداهمات-واسعة-بمدن-الضفة-والقدس/)
MAARIV: DEBTS OWED TO ISRAELI ELECTRIC COMPANY BY THE PA CLOSE TO NIS1 BILLION
The Israeli daily Maariv said today that Israeli energy and water minister Silvan Shalom will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the accumulated debts to the Israeli regional electricity company on the PA, which has reached nearly NIS1 billion. The electricity says it fears the eventual impact on the Israeli consumer from these debts if the Israeli government does not take the necessary steps to settle this issue. Maariv said that by the middle of this year, debts reached NIS750 million, an unprecedented number, and that these debts were mostly accumulated from residents of the West Bank via the Jerusalem Electricity Company. (http://qudsnet.com/news/View/257291/معاريفديون-شركة-الكهربا-الإسرائيلية-على-السلطة-قرابة-المليار-شيكل/)
ISRAELI HOUSING MINISTER OBLIGATES CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES TO WORK IN THE SETTLEMENTS
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz said yesterday that the Israeli housing ministry has obligated construction and planning offices to work in settlements if they wanted to obtain tenders published by the ministry. Apparently, in the last tenders published for the settlements of Givaot, Maaleh Adumim and Efrat, some planning offices refused to participate because they did not want to be coerced to work inside the occupied territories. (http://www.alhayat-j.com/newsite/details.php?opt=2&id=220428&cid=3121)
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Headlines
*The president discusses negotiations and reconciliation with his Egyptian counterpart (Al Ayyam)
*Lieberman returns to post of Israel’s foreign minister (Al Ayyam)
*Israel seeks to use its influence on Congress against agreement with Iran (Al Ayyam)
*Geneva: new meeting between Iran and six major powers on November 20 (Al Ayyam)
*PLO: Arafat turned the Nakba into the noblest national liberation cause(Al Ayyam)
*Abu Ali and Husseini confirm the importance of security campaign in Al Ram (Al Ayyam)
*Beit Layhia: Israeli naval forces arrest two fishermen brothers and confiscate their boats (Al Ayyam)
*Five years after the passing of leader Abu Ammar (Al Quds)
*Attempt to smuggle in car by sea into Gaza foiled (Al Quds)
*Netanyahu resorts to American media to incite against Iran and to convince public opinion of danger of agreement with Tehran (Al Quds)
*Deputy Iranian industry minister assassinated in Tehran (Al Quds)
*French president to give speech to Knesset during his upcoming trip to Israel (Al Quds)
*The President calls on Al Arabi to revive decision to form international investigation committee into Arafat’s death (Al Hayat Al Jadida)
*Abu Melik: Israel is cause for demobilization of 80,000 workers because of ban on entry of construction materials to Gaza (Al Hayat Al Jadida)
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Front Page Photos
Al- Quds:Caricature of President Yasser Arafat
Al-Ayyam:Festival in commemoration of Arafat’s death; 2) The president and his Egyptian counterpart
Al Hayat Al Jadida:Caricature depicting Abu Ammar;2) The president and his Egyptian counterpart
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Voice of Palestine Interviews
** Dr. Majdi Al-Khaldi, diplomatic advisor to the President, on President Abbas’ visit to Egypt.
Q: Can you provide us with information regarding President Abbas’ meeting with the Egyptian leadership and the Secretary of the Arab League?
President Abbas had very good meeting where he updated the Egyptian President and Al-Sisi on the latest developments of the peace process, and what it is facing of obstacles, they discussed how we can move on in the negotiations. Egypt is ready to play a major role and it wants to do so, so the President updated the Egyptian leadership on the latest developments, we need Egypt to stand beside us as it used to do in the past. Also, the meeting also initialed discussions on how to develop the bilateral relationships between the two sides, and with regards to humanitarian aid to Gaza and standing beside Jerusalem and Jerusalemites in protecting Al-Aqsa, in addition to other issues.
Q: You said that Egypt will have a major role I the peace process, maybe through the Arab role, news report of a meeting of the Arab committee for peace soon, what is the Egyptian evaluation of the negotiations so far?
You know that Egypt and all the Arab countries support the Palestinian people, after the meeting with Nabil Al-Arabi, and the discussion withEgyptian Foreign Minister, we will have a meeting soon in Kuwait and President Abbas will update them on the latest developments, in order to discuss the issue and have the Arab support.
Q: With regards to the Israeli reactions, Netanyahu expressed his doubts on the Palestinian desire to reach a peace agreement?
The problem is that the Israeli side always tries to be portrayed as a victim while they are the occupiers, so they are being spoiled by the Americans and all those who support Israel, so he is trying to claims thing opposite to facts, it is the occupier narrative and no one will believe this, we should continue in gathering international and Arab support, and voice our demands in order to end this occupation, we are working towards achieving this, last year the whole world stood beside us in the Un, and I think that we are in the right path no with American efforts and everyone can see what is going on, and let us see what will happen.
** Saleh Ra’fat, member of the PLO Executive Committee, on Arafat.
Q: With regards to foreign Affairs, with late President Arafat is mentioned everyone relates it directly to Palestine, what is the reason behind that?
Abu Ammar devoted a lot of his work on the international scene to return the Palestinian issue to being a central issue in international community, he succeeded to do so with eth acceptance of the PLO as an observer in the United Nations, and after 15.11.1988 after the declaration of independence he managed to reach a wide international recognition of the state of Palestine, which was the beginning of the historic decision to accept the state of Palestine as a non-member observer state in the UN. So, President Arafat established the first brick of international relations and Palestinian foreign affair, while leading resistance of ground to end the occupation and embody what was described in the declaration of independence.
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More Headlines
Abu Me’elik: Israel caused the demobilization of 80,000 workers by banning the entry of construction materials into Gaza
Head of the Palestinian contractors’ union Nabil Abu Me’elik said yesterday that Israel had completely halted the entry of construction materials into Gaza since the discovery of the underground tunnel in Khan Younis, including materials for all international agencies working on projects in the Strip such as UNRWA. Abu Me’elik said that for the past month, the Israelis had halted the entry of all construction materials whether for international projects or the 70 trucks that used to come into the private sector. He said Israel also halted coordination with these institutions, which were helping in the building of hospitals, clinics and schools and had provided thousands with job opportunities. Abu Me’elik said the storage of construction materials had been depleted, which meant the projects had halted, causing damage to many contractors as well. (http://www.alhayat-j.com/newsite/details.php?opt=2&id=220429&cid=3121)
Attempt to smuggle in a car by sea into Gaza, frustrated
The Hamas government’s naval police said yesterday that it had foiled an attempt to smuggle a car from Egypt into the Gaza Strip by sea on a small boat. Head of the naval police in Rafah, Mousa Khalidi said in a press statement that the naval guard obtained information about a group of people who planned to smuggle products over the sea border between Gaza and Egypt, adding that navy forces were call on to set up an night ambush for them. The smugglers were pursued after they refused to surrender, throwing the goods overboard and then jumping into the water. They were saved by navy divers and arrested. After daybreak, the operation to retrieve the car began, which took 10 hours. (http://www.alquds.com/news/article/view/id/472202)
Approval over two religious settlements in the Negev
Yesterday, the Israeli Knesset approved the construction of two new settlements in the Negev Desert for orthodox Jews. A new city to be named Kaseef will be built for Haradim Jews on land belonging to the Bedouin village of Kassefa, and will span over 5,000 dunams with 10,000 housing units that will absorb 50,000 people. The second settlement will be named Hayran for nationalist Haradim, which will be built on lands of the Bedouin village Um Hayran after it is demolished under the pretext that it was built on ‘state lands.’ The demolition has not yet been implemented because the case is still pending in the high court after an appeal by the human rights organization Adala was submitted. (http://alhayat.com/Details/570703)
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Arab Press
Does the question of Palestine still matter today?
By Rana Askoul
Recently I was browsing at a bookstore when I stumbled across a copy of A World I Loved by Wadad Cortas. The book’s cover had a black-and-white picture depicting the author’s family and a caption that read: “The Story of an Arab Woman.” I ended up buying it. Two days later and half way through the book, I had to pause and confirm that it wasn’t a work of fiction. It wasn’t.
On the contrary, it is a personal account of the Middle East’s history between 1917 and the late 1970s. The reason I was almost convinced that this was fiction was due to the account provided by the author of the early 20th century Middle East.
An educator and a descendant of a prominent Lebanese-Christian family living in Beirut in 1917, the author speaks of a Middle East unrecognizable by today’s standards, one unimaginable to my generation of Arabs.
It seems that a moment existed in Arab history, albeit brief, when the region was united in the love of homeland – the larger Arab homeland. And apparently, this passion transcended nationality, religion and sect.
Despite the turmoil then, hopes were high. Dreams of independent, postcolonial nations were real and a future of moderation and tolerance seemed within reach. It was particularly fascinating to learn how Arabs then lived through the “Palestine question” that shaped the political scene in the Middle East during the first half of the 20th century.
From the political stance of Arab governments all the way to the pulse on the Arab street, the Palestinian issue dominated the hearts and minds of Arabs and united them.
The second half of the 20th century and the first years of this century read very differently.
More recently, one can’t seem to find any reference to a larger Arab homeland, let alone a shared passion for one. The chances of a future of moderation and tolerance seem so slight today in the midst of the sectarian frenzy we live in. The “Palestine question”, one that is personal for me (I am Palestinian), is a question that no one really wants to raise any more.
Growing up as a Palestinian refugee had a stigma attached to it. I arrived in this world long after the initial years of pan-Arab nationalism and the honor it extended to the collective Palestinian cause.
In the Arab world I came into, the burden Palestinian refugees were placing on their host nations was at its height. And it was a burden in all possible ways.
The Palestinian refugees had an effect on the social fabric of the communities. In general, Palestinians lacked education and wealth that would have elevated them to a more “welcome” status. They arrived with different norms and customs, and although these differences were subtle in most cases, they were there all the same.
I came into an Arab world where host nations were announcing that they could no longer economically sustain refugees. As a result, these refugees were banned from assuming certain jobs and in some cases were confined to refugee camps. Palestinian refugees were seen as posing a serious threat to the security of their host nations.
By the time I was born, the Palestinian cause had been appropriated by many factions. For Palestinian refugees, all of this manifests itself in the form of emotional and practical challenges.
From being denied certain jobs all the way to restriction on the freedom of movement, the cycle of stigma seems perpetual.
But why bring all this up now? As I watch news reports on the TV and skim through articles in newspapers and magazines, I see the pictures of a new generation of refugees of the Arab world.
And although their plight may seem different from that of their Palestinian predecessors, the similarities are striking. Their cause no longer evokes the spirit of Arab nationalism.
They too bring social, economic and political baggage with them to their host nations. They too reel under the stigma of being refugees, further fuelled by a time of heightened intolerance and economic pressures. They too seem to be on a course leading nowhere.
Before we engage in a dialogue on how to restore lost homelands, lost property and lost possessions, perhaps we are better off discussing how to restore Arab nationalism.
If the Arab Spring has proved anything, it is that any of us can one day be reduced to refugee status, where losing self-worth becomes the highest price one has to pay. The resurrection of Arab nationalism seems today like the only window of hope, the only chance we have at a better Middle East. (http://www.thenational.ae/does-the-question-of-palestine-still-matter-today)
Why I believe Yasser Arafat was poisoned
By David Barclay
Polonium 210 is so toxic that it is difficult to explain just how dangerous it is - a fatal dose is almost a million times less than is needed for cyanide, for example.
Its danger comes from its high radioactivity. It decays by giving out alpha radiation and once Po210 is absorbed and is circulating in the body, it silently and fatally damages each individual cell. Half of any amount of Po210 decays in this way every 138 days.
It is impossible to physically see what would be a fatal amount of solid polonium, making it impossible for anyone to detect that they have been given the poison. Obviously, this also makes it remarkably easy to give to someone in a drink or food.
Strangely though, it is completely safe to handle, because alpha radiation is stopped by even a sheet of paper or by human skin. It can be carried around in a test tube for years without harming anyone, until it gets into someone's blood stream.
I believe it did get into Yasser Arafat's bloodstream and here is why.
Evidential certainty
The Swiss scientists produced a truly excellent report, which has researched every issue and explored every possibility. Their conclusion about the cause of Arafat's death is based, quite correctly, entirely on their scientific results, since they have no scientific information about his illness.
They do comment that his symptoms fit with the known pattern of Po210 absorption, which means it is likely to initially cause damage to the intestine and lead to related symptoms.
Forensic science as presented to a court, however, always has to consider scientific results in context. In the case of Arafat, the context of his death is what changes their scientific assessment of up to 83 percent probability into an evidential certainty.
To start with, a key question is: How likely are we to find these levels - a lethal level according to the Swiss - of polonium in someone who did not die from polonium poisoning?
We have some scientific data on this. There are many bone samples of people who died naturally which have been analyzed over the years, and they average out at between 25-50 milibecquerels (mBq) per gram of calcium.
Arafat's ribs were around 900 mBq. That is 18 to 36 times more than the average, even at the time of exhumation. And remember, that took place over eight years later when the Po210 had been reduced by 21 half-lives.
So at the time of his death in 2004, he had over two million times that level circulating in his blood and being deposited in his bones.
And the pattern of the results in the clothing stains done in 2012 and the bones from the exhumation show that the polonium must have been circulating in him before death. It is only found in actual stains from his urine, his blood and his sweat, and is highest in those bones which have the greatest blood supply.
Cause of death
The results in 2012 also show that the Po210 had been manufactured in a nuclear reactor. That means it could not have come from natural sources like the decay of radon. The tiny background level of Po210 decay of radon produces in humans has been well established by work in the nuclear industry.
Just consider how many people have died naturally in the whole world since 1950. Only five are known to have died from Po210. We can work out how likely it is that anyone at all would die of Po210 poisoning. And it is one chance in many billions.
So what are the odds that any person would just happen to have a fatal level in his tissues if he did not die of it?
The fact that Arafat has a level which would have been way into the accepted lethal range when he died in 2004, now 22 half-lives ago, is beyond dispute from the Swiss results in their report. And he shouldn't have had any reactor-produced Po210 in him anyway.
Toxicologists in general and the Swiss scientists in particular, can never state just from the science that someone definitely has died of, for example, cyanide or strychnine. That is because the person might have then jumped off a bridge, or died under a train, so death due to a poison always depends also on the absence of any other cause being present.
I am sure the Swiss also considered that although he must have had high levels of Po210 within the lethal range, he could have become ill by coincidence from some other unrelated cause. However, very exhaustive tests were performed by the French Percy Hospital during his final days, without result. Arafat had no other disease, no cancer, and no heart disease.
From death statistics, the chance of this happening accidentally must be less than one in several billions for any individual living on this planet, and maybe even smaller for Yasser Arafat since his food and drink supply was apparently controlled.
Questions for judge and jury
In my opinion, this evidential assessment would convince any investigator or member of a jury.
We can summarize just a few of the arguments by anticipating how the courts would assess the evidence. A court would have to ask four important questions to assess the significance of the results:
1. Are we satisfied that the results are scientifically correct, and represent levels circulating in life?
We are because the Swiss lab is excellent and their analyses are comprehensive; and because there is the conclusive pattern of results on clothing and bone, so the Po210 results could not have been manufactured by anyone after death.
2. How likely are we to find these levels of Po210 in any other person in the world, chosen at random, who has died in the last 50 years?
It works out at less than one chance in several billions, even taking the conservative view that some Po210 accidents may have gone unreported.
3. How likely is it that these levels are not directly associated with an illness/death occurring in 2004?
A conservative estimate might be 1 chance in 50 or so, even if we do not take into account what the levels must have been in 2004 - which would be over 2 million times higher. However, he had no other obvious cause of death.
4. Is there evidence that the levels present in 2004 would directly cause serious harm?
There is. The Swiss scientists also calculated how much should remain in his bones in 2013 of a dose in the accepted lethal range that would have been given in 2004. It fits very well with the figures they actually obtained from his bones after exhumation.
Absolute certainty
Taking the measured scientific figures obtained by the Swiss, together with the context, we can be absolutely certain that Arafat ingested a large dose of Po210, which was made in a nuclear reactor, and it was circulating in him during his terminal illness.
From death statistics, the chance of this happening accidentally must be less than one in several billions for any individual living on this planet, and maybe even smaller for Arafat since his food and drink supply was apparently controlled.
We are less certain, scientifically, that the calculated levels of Po210 caused his illness and death simply because the lethal dose is less well established; but as forensic scientists, we are obliged to take into account the context, including the fact that he had no other obvious cause of death.
And of course neither he, nor any of us, would have any reactor-made Po210 in our blood anyway. That fact alone would satisfy most juries that something really sinister was going on in 2004.
So, based on my decades of experience and the evidence before me, I have no evidential doubt that a lethal dose of Po210 was administered to or ingested by Arafat in 2004, and that it caused his death.(http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2013/11/can-be-certain-yasser-arafat-was-poisoned-20131110101810225911.html)
Who murdered Arafat?
Eric S. Margolis
Israel and the US are the likely culprits
In 2004, shortly after the mysterious death of PLO leader Yasser Arafat, I wrote a column stating my strong belief that he had been murdered by poison. I recalled Stalin’s favorite line, “no man, no problem.”
Poison had been a favorite tool of the Soviet secret police since the 1920’s. Steps from KGB headquarters at the Lubyanka was the top secret laboratory known as the “Kamera” where scientists concocted new, complex poisons designed to be very lethal but untraceable, or extremely hard to identify.
Numbers of Ukrainian nationalists were murdered by use of pens emitting a vapor of quick-acting cyanide gas that left the victims appearing to have died of heart attacks. Later, the Kamera produced an even more lethal pellet filled with the deadly castor-bean extract, ricin. A Bulgarian defector, Georgi Markov, died after a ricin pellet was jabbed into his leg in London, the famous “umbrella murder.”
In 2009, Israeli agents of Mossad sprayed a poison liquid into the left ear of Palestinian Hamas leader, Khaled Mashall. He only escaped death when Israel was forced to provide an antidote. The US CIA had its own poison lab that was revealed by the 1975 Church Committee investigation.
Two other poisonings made use of advanced toxins:
In 2004, Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yuschenko was poisoned with dioxin boosted with other adjuvants to make it extremely difficult to trace and highly toxic. Yuschenko survived thanks to German medical help, but was left terribly disfigured.
Two years later in London, a former Russian intelligence agent Alexander Litvinenko, was poisoned, the second use of polonium-210. He had become a fierce critic of Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Russian intelligence was widely believed to have staged the gruesome attack as a warning to potential turncoats.
Last week, Swiss forensic scientists from the respected University of Lausanne confirmed that both Arafat’s belongings and his recently exhumed body were contaminated by radioactive polonium-210.
In spite of the lapse of four years since Arafat’s murder, the Swiss scientists found in a 108-page report a high level of polonium at least eight times higher than would be normally present. The always-cautious Swiss said there was “moderate support” for the claim Arafat had indeed been murdered. While he had certainly been poisoned by polonium, they were unable to positively prove the toxin had killed him, though his dose was well beyond lethal.
The Swiss report, originally commissioned by Arafat’s wife Suha and Al Jazeera, ignited a political firestorm. Palestinians have long accused Israel of murdering Arafat. Israel’s intelligence service Mossad and warplanes have killed over a score of senior PLO leaders in the past three decades. Many attempts had been made by Israel on Arafat’s life.
Israel denies the murder, though some of its leaders have openly stated their desire to “liquidate” Arafat. Israel is the only Mideast nation that can produce polonium-210 in its reactors. Still, Israel insists it was not responsible, though no tears were shed over Arafat’s death. Israel says the culprits were Palestinian rivals.
Who benefitted from Arafat’s death? Arafat had been bitterly resisting US and Israeli efforts to impose a grossly unfair peace deal that would have broken up the West Bank into little Arab tribal reservations. Once Arafat was out of the way, the US and Israel swiftly installed a new, servile PLO leadership, headed by a yes-man, financed by the US and protected by CIA-run police.
At the time of his death, Arafat had been prisoner for two years in his West Bank compound at Ramallah, surrounded by Israeli troops and tanks. A close Palestinian aid must have secreted the poison in Arafat’s food. Other senior Palestinians were also likely involved in the plot — par for the course in the Mideast. But a finger of suspicion still points directly at the US and Israel.
France, which gave medical aid to the dying Arafat, obscured the cause of death. Russia, also examined the Arafat evidence, is making contradictory claims. Mahmoud Abbas’ government has tried to cover up the crime for years. Even Arafat’s widow initially refused an autopsy for murky reasons.
If the murder of Arafat is confirmed, Israel may be hauled into the International Criminal Court. The US will get ultimate blame.(http://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-article-display-1.asp?xfile=/data/opinion/2013/November/opinion_November14.xml§ion=opinion)
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Opinions
Zionist's insistence on undermining negotiations
Al-Dustuor Editorial
The Zionist insistence to undermine the peace process and assassinate the negotiations is no longer metaphysical, but it is part of the Zionist enemy strategy it seeks to uphold, and refuses to abandon considering it as a central component of this strategy, and a solid foundation of the Zionist entity.
In this regard, the enemy no longer hides its objectives and expansionist schemes based on settlement, but its arrogance and disregard reached a declaration on the establishment of residential projects on the eve of the arrival of the US envoys on the peace process, starting form Condoleezza Rice and Clinton, and it is announcing the construction of 20,000 housing units in the occupied Palestinian territorieson the eve of the arrival of US Foreign Minister John Kerry to the region.
This disregard for others… And provocations against those interested in the peace process, especially the Palestinian side, is no longer tolerated after the enemy took advantage of the peace process for over twenty years in imposing facts on the ground, for Judaizing Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa and stealing Palestinian land.
Indeed, the occupationconfiscated more than 65% of the West Bank and 86% of the territory of Jerusalem, acting according to a malignant Zionist approach to change the Arabic-Islamic character of the city, turning it into a biblical city with a Jewish majority. They’ve already achieved this, for the first time in history, Jews are more the Palestinians in the Holy City, it also acts towards dividing Al-Aqsa as it did with the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, after the Knesset's decision to allow Jews to enter Al-Aqsa whenever they please, as a decision considered to be the first step to establish the alleged temple. .
Interestingly in this scene, Washington, the enemy’s ally and the sole sponsor of the peace process, refuses to take a firm stand that would deter the enemy and bridle its expansionist appetite, but it protects it from international sanctions by US veto.
Observers believe that the US position supporting Israeli occupation is encouraging the enemy to continue settlement activities, refuses to abide by the resolutions of international legitimacy, and to insist on the violation of international law and the Fourth Geneva Convention which prohibits any demographic or geographic changes in occupied areas.
The best example is the changing US discourse, where after settlements were illegal and violation of international law, it became now an obstacle to the peace process, and eventually lead to “tensions” in the words of John Kerry during his last press conference in Amman.
In short: the enemy's insistence to continue settlement activities confirms that it rejects the peace process and negotiations, insisting on the policy of fait accompli through continuing settlement activities, Judaization and ethnic cleansing.This requires a radical change in the US position after this position proved to be the reason for the enemy’s refusal to abide by the resolutions of international legitimacy, and its refusal to recognize the rights of the Palestinian people, particularly their right to establish their independent State on their national soil.(http://www.addustour.com/17031/%D8%A5%D8%B5%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B1+%D8%B5%D9%87%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%86%D9%8A+%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89+%D9%86%D8%B3%D9%81+%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%81%D8%A7%D9%88%D8%B6%D8%A7%D8%AA.html)
The ninth anniversary
Al-Quds Editorial
Our people in the homeland and the diaspora commemorated the ninth anniversary of the martyrdom of its national symbol, its revolution leader who devoted his life to Palestine, immortal martyr late President Yasser Arafat at a time when some evident of the crime of his murder were revealed after issuing the Swiss and Russian reports, as finding traces of polonium and killing President Arafat with poison was confirmed by the National Commission of inquiry, which adds another dimension to this year's anniversary, not only through the commitment to pursue the same policies of Arafat and adhere to the national principles and the legitimate rights of our people in a free Palestine, but also a pledge to continue to investigate the circumstances of the death of late President Arafat down to revealing the whole truth, and who stood behind the crime.
President Mahmoud Abbas made it clear in his speech on this occasion confirming that the Palestinian leadership continues with late President Abu Ammar’s approach, and that all forms of settlement activities are void, and that the leadership is committed to the inalienable rights of our people, and that the National Inquiry Committee will continue its work to uncover the whole truth and that this Committee supported by the Palestinian leadership.
Obviously this anniversary united our people in the homeland and the diaspora, with all its factions and national forces with the exception of those who insisted on preventing this commemoration at Gaza denying our national symbol and his struggle and his role in all our achievements, including the National Authority and their involvement in previous elections under a political entity achieved by late President Arafat. The question arises how those that claim they are eager for reconciliation while taking such attitudes, especially since martyr Yasser Arafat wasn’t only leader of Fateh, but of the entire Palestinian people.
Today, it is clear that major challenges remain facing our people and their just struggle while Israel continues its occupation, expanding settlements, Judaizing Jerusalem, the siege over Gaza and undermining the principles of the peace process, in addition to denying signed agreements and trying to hide what it commits of void acts.
Hence we say that commitment to the late icon Yasser Arafat lies in strengthening national unity and continue the long and difficult journey to end the illegal occupation, and grab our rights to self-determination and to establish our independent State on our national soil with Jerusalem as its capital, and solving the refugee problem in accordance with UN resolution 194 assuring the return compensation for refugees.
What we are witnessing today of the Palestinian leadership insistence on our constants and the legitimate popular resistance to the apartheid wall and settlements, and defending Al-Aqsa in the face of violations by Israel and its extreme, only emphasizes that our people still believed in freedom and is still true to our martyrs, led by icon and martyr Yasser Arafat.
Israel is seriously wrong it is thinks or bet that our people can surrender or waive their inalienable and legitimate national rights.(http://www.alquds.com/news/article/view/id/472239)
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