RAMALLAH, November 11, 2013 (WAFA) – President Mahmoud Abbas said at a memorial marking the ninth anniversary for the death of Yasser Arafat held Sunday night in Ramallah that he is determined to find the truth behind Arafat’s death.
Arafat died on November 11, 2004 at the French Percy Hospital in Paris following sudden deterioration in his health and shortly after he was transferred there from his Israeli army-besieged Ramallah compound for medical treatment.
Swiss forensic experts who tested Arafat’s remains after exhuming his body a year ago said they found large quantity of the radioactive material polonium 210 on his bones, which was proof that Arafat died of poisoning.
The Palestinians accuse Israel of assassinating Arafat.
Speaking during a pre-recorded speech to people who gathered at the Ramallah Cultural Palace to mark Arafat’s death anniversary, Abbas said that the goal is to reach the truth regarding Arafat’s death.
“On this occasion, I renew our commitment to our national duty and responsibility as leaders of this great people to continue to seek the whole truth, regardless of the difficulties and obstacles.”
He said that he is confident the Palestinian investigation committee will reach the truth, “which we will then announce in its entirety to our people.”
Abbas said the Palestinian leadership will continue on the path Arafat has drawn since the early years of the launching of the Palestinian revolution until they achieve its goal in establishing the independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
“We seek comprehensive and just peace for all the people in this region,” he said. “From here, I reiterate that we will not accept a state with provisional borders or get into an interim phase. Our goal is to reach a final peace pact based on international decision and the Arab peace initiative.”
Abbas called on Israel “to shoulder its responsibility for peace and stop putting obstacles that could derail (peace) efforts, mainly building settlements and settlers’ aggression against Palestinians and their property as well as attacks against al-Aqsa Mosque and Muslim and Christian holy places.”
M.S.
