The Palestinian Authority has recently called for an international investigation into the November 2004 death of Yasser Arafat in Paris. But in a fresh libel PA officials told their own people in Arabic this week that no investigation is necessary, because they have hard evidence that Israel poisoned Arafat - with the approval of the US.

In a television interview with PA officials, the following claims and accusations were made:

1. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz decided in June 2002 to kill Arafat in a way that could not be linked to Israel.

2. Bassam Abu Sharif, former adviser to Arafat, who learned of the plan, wrote a letter to Arafat informing him of the plot. He presented the alleged letter on TV as "evidence." He even cited what he called the "exact words" of Sharon and Mofaz´s private conversation.

3. One participant in the broadcast claimed to be Arafat´s food taster, insisting he ate from Arafat´s food at least half an hour before Arafat to prevent his poisoning.

4. The US knew about the plan to murder Arafat, and approved it on the condition that it was not carried out by a bomb attack.

5. Taysir Al-Tamimi, Chief Justice of the Sharia [Islamic Law] Court of Palestine, who vi- sited Arafat in hospital in Paris "saw" the "severe thinning" of Arafat´s blood, which continued "even after his death."

6. The French doctors who treated Arafat in the final stage of his illness know that Arafat was poisoned. But they have refused to divulge this information because they fear it would prompt a violent Palestinian reaction that would destroy the PA´s chance for an independent state.

7. The exact poison is unknown because it is a military secret.

Allegations that Israel was behind Arafat´s illness are not new. In fact, they appeared in the PA media soon after Arafat became ill (see, for example, the adjacent cartoon). However, this week´s broadcast, one year since his death, went beyond the general accusations to asserting that his killing by Israel was a fact.

This murder libel follows the PMW report this week documenting the ongoing Palestinian Authority drug libel. Both are examples of the current Palestinian Authority policy of artificially initiating hatred of Israel, even as Israel goes to great lengths and takes great risks, to improve conditions for Palestinians.

Palestinian Media Watch has frequently noted libels appearing in the Palstinian media. Click here to read some examples from before September 2000, and here to read some examples since that time - including an official sermon from this time last year saying that Palestinians were "absolutely sure" that Israel poisoned Arafat.

The following is dialogue from the PA TV program:

Bassam Abu Sharif, former adviser to Arafat:

"According to the confirmed information I have, Mofaz spoke to Sharon in the following manner: ´This is an opportunity to get rid of Yasser Arafat...´ Sharon was silent for a moment, and then looked [at Mofaz and said], ´Only if it would be done in a way that the accusing finger won´t be pointed at Israel.´ These are the exact words.

"When I found out about this, I wrote a letter to ... Yasser Arafat, in which I warned him of their desire to kill him, probably by means of poison. The letter´s date is clear, this is the letter [shows the letter]. The black [marking] is [the marking of] Yasser Arafat, the lines were drawn by Yasser Arafat. This is the date, June 5, 2002... The Israelis planned to kill him by poison, because of Sharon´s promise to the Americans that [Arafat] will not be killed by bombing.

"The source, and this is the first time I´m saying it... I saw him after the death and burial of Arafat. I asked him, and he replied that the French know about this. I think that the French hid this matter because France is a powerful country that isn´t interested in igniting the area, and is interested in peace and the establishment of a country for the Palestinian nation, and reviving the topic will mean that every Palestinian will see it as his duty to avenge [the death of] Yasser Arafat.

Taysir Al-Tamimi, Chief Justice of Sharia Court of Palestine:

"The president didn´t suffer from any illness related to the known diseases of old age - blood pressure, diabetes, artery blockage. The president didn´t suffer from any illness. The severe deterioration of his health, in this rapid manner, verifies the fact that he was killed by poison, in addition to the severe thinning of his blood, which I saw with my own eyes in the hospital in Paris. Even after his death, this thinning of his blood continued.

An Arafat aide:

"For breakfast, he would drink milk and cornflakes. I would prepare it for him during the morning hours... The President´s food always had to be checked. The same thing with lunch... The food was brought to the guests and the President together, and I used to eat half an hour to three quarters of an hour before him."

Ahmad Abdul Rahman, Arafat´s Cabinet Secretary:

"This issue will continue to occupy every Palestinian´s mind, how Yasser Arafat became a Shahid [Martyr for Allah]. The French medical report comprises 572 pages. [The report] doesn´t state that Yasser Arafat was suffering from a specific disease from which his death resulted. It said that Yasser Arafat´s death didn´t result from one of the known diseases.

"Therefore, conclude, conclude what this means. He was exposed to some kind of poison. The poison is an army secret and, as you know, no one knows the poison´s secret, except for the person who prepared it..." [PA TV, November 11, 2005]