Photograph of Yasser Arafat at the World Economic Forum in Davos, January 2001. by Remy Steinegger
Both during and after the airing of the documentary, many Palestinian Twitter users tweeted their thoughts and reactions regarding the evidence presented in it. The majority were not surprised by the allegations that Arafat was poisoned, something that has long been claimed by many. However the allegation that polonium was used was a new detail.
Twitter user This Is Gaza tweeted:
Al Jazeera reveals new facts about Arafat’s death after a nine-month investigation found high levels of the poisonous element polonium in the belongings of [late]president Arafat.
And I commented:
Everyone is now wondering what new information was given in the Al Jazeera documentary, when the whole nation knew he was poisoned. What’s new is that evidence is provided, when at first there were just rumours.
Many Palestinians questioned why the documentary was being broadcast now, and resorted to conspiracy theories as an explanation. Twitter user Majd responded:
It is galling when those who have conspired for eight years to hide the truth of Yasser Arafat’s assassination, then say when someone comes to reveal the truth, “Your timing is suspicious!”
Nour Abed did not hide her bad opinion of Al Jazeera and the media in general, but she did praise it for the documentary:
We all know that Al Jazeera like any other channel has an agenda, with its reasons and aims behind every new action, but you cannot deny that it has revealed new information about Arafat’s death.
Diana Alzeer was looking forward to even more answers:
The next question I want an answer for is “Who killed Arafat?”
Ismaeil Mohaisen tweeted some accusations against the Palestinian Authority:
We are still waiting for a comment from the Palestinian Authority. Especially because the documentary implied the involvement of certain people. There is no doubt of that! #Arafat
In a similar vein, Rami Khrais tweeted:
The biggest blow to the Palestinian Authority – besides Suha Arafat’s request for an examination for poison in her husband’s remains – is the report pointing out that no [official]investigation took place after his death.
The documentary ended with Yasser Arafat’s widow Suha Arafat requesting that the Palestinian Authority exhume her late husband’s body so the investigation could be continued. President Mahmoud Abbas made a statement saying that the Palestinian Authority “saw no reason” why the body should not be exhumed. We are now waiting to see what will happen next.
Written by Ola Anan
