Senior Palestinian Authority (PA) and Fatah leader Jibril Rajoub has appeared on PA TV and accused the US of being behind former PA Chairman Yasser Arafat's supposed 'poisoning' by Israel.
"It's obvious that Israel wasn't alone," said Rajoub in an interview aired last week, adding "the US was there. That fool known as [George] Bush took away Yasser Arafat's protection and gave [Israeli Prime Minister Ariel] Sharon the green light to liquidate Yasser Arafat." Rajoub's statements were translated by Palestinian Media Watch.
Despite medical testimony that Arafat died in 2004 of AIDS, recent investigations begun November 2012 found a "moderate" possibility of polonium poisoning.
The inconclusive early results were quickly jumped upon as the PA declared Israel was the "only suspect" in Arafat's "assassination."
Furthermore, the PA Minister of Religious Affairs previously on PA TV claimed "Jews poisoned Arafat like they poisoned Islam's prophet Mohammed."
However, in contrast to the early accusations against Israel and the new accusation of the US, there have been other theories. Fahmi Shabane, former intelligence officer in the PA, suggested that PA leaders including PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas were in fact behind the "murder."