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French experts say Arafat not poisoned

French experts say thatYasser Arafat did not die from polonium poisoning, contradicting the findings of a Swiss team. The Palestinian leader's widow, Suha, who asked for the French report, said she was "shattered" by the contradictory findings.

Yasser Arafat  in 1994
Yasser Arafat in 1994 Reuters/Ahmed Jadallah/Files
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"The report rules out the poisoning theory and goes in the sense of a natural death," a source close to the inquiry said on Tuesday.

The French experts did find a radioactive substance in samples of Arafat's remains but believe that they came from the environment.

The Swiss team said that their findings provide "moderate" support for the polonium-poisoning theory.

The Russians have yet to publish their findings.

Arafat died in a military hospital near Paris in 2004 after a sudden deterioration in his health.

French doctors were unable to say what killed him and an autopsy was never performed, at Suha's Arafat's request.

But, after a 2012 Al Jazeera documentary raised the possibility of poisoning by the radioactive substance polonium, France opened a formal inquiry.

About 60 samples from his remains were divided between Swiss, Russian and French experts.

"I am so shattered by these contradictions. What are we supposed to think?" Suha Arafat commented on Tuesday. "The experts must give us a homogeneous conclusion."

She added that she did not blame anyone for his death.

Palestinian Justice Minister Ali Mhanna last month urged France to release its findings, saying the Palestinians were sure Arafat had been poisoned and that Israel was the "only suspect" in his death.

The head of the Palestinian investigation into Arafat's death, Tawfiq Tirawi, expressed reservations over the French findings but said members of the team needed to study the report before taking a position.

Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said the results of the French probe were "no surprise".

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