Former Palestinian foreign minister Nasser al-Qudwa, a nephew of Yasser Arafat, holds a slab bearing an engraving of a portrait of the late Palestinian leader during a press conference he held in the West Bank city of Ramallah on November 8, 2009, three days before the fifth anniversary of Arafat's mysterious death in a Paris hospital on November 11, 2004. Qudwa, who currently heads the 'Arafat Institute' said he expects to receive evidence soon proving that the Palestinian leader was poisoned. Five years have passed, yet the mystery surrounding Arafat's dramatic demise seems just as impenetrable, with many senior officials still holding strong to the belief their leader was poisoned. Getty Images logo Getty Images 1 week ago

Former Palestinian foreign minister Nasser al-Qudwa, a nephew of Yasser Arafat, holds a slab bearing an engraving of a portrait of the late Palestinian leader during a press conference he held in the West Bank city of Ramallah on November 8, 2009, three days before the fifth anniversary of Arafat's mysterious death in a Paris hospital on November 11, 2004. Qudwa, who currently heads the 'Arafat Institute' said he expects to receive evidence soon proving that the Palestinian leader was poisoned. Five years have passed, yet the mystery surrounding Arafat's dramatic demise seems just as impenetrable, with many senior officials still holding strong to the belief their leader was poisoned.

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  1. Palestinian carry pictures of late leader Yasser Arafat, right, late George Habash, center, founder of the radical Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, left, as they march to the Sabra and Shatila mass graves in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Sept. 18, 2009. Palestinians in Lebanon observed the 27th anniversary of one of their darkest episodes _ the massacre in the Beirut camps of Sabra and Shatila by Israeli-backed Christian militiamen in which between 1,200 and 1,400 people died, by Lebanese Red Cross count.
  2. A member of the Palestinian security forces stands guard near a Yasser Arafat impersonator during a rally, marking a symbolic declaration of independence, in the West Bank city of Nablus November 19, 2009. Sunday marked the anniversary of the symbolic November 15, 1988 declaration of independence by the late Palestinian leader Arafat.
  3. A Palestinian youth holds a poster that depicts late leader Yasser Arafat during a rally, marking a symbolic declaration of independence, in the West Bank city of Nablus November 19, 2009. Sunday marked the anniversary of the symbolic November 15, 1988 declaration of independence by the late Palestinian leader Arafat.
  4. A member of the Palestinian security forces stands guard near a Yasser Arafat impersonator during a rally, marking a symbolic declaration of independence, in the West Bank city of Nablus November 19, 2009. Sunday marked the anniversary of the symbolic November 15, 1988 declaration of independence by the late Palestinian leader Arafat.
  5. Members of the Palestinian Security forces ride on a vehicle past banners depicting President Mahmoud Abbas and the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat (top R) during a march, marking a symbolic declaration of independence, in the West Bank city of Hebron November 16, 2009. Sunday marked the anniversary of the symbolic November 15, 1988 declaration of independence by Arafat.
  6. A Palestinian boy stands nears poster of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during a rally, marking a symbolic declaration of independence, in the West Bank village of Beit Furiq near Nablus November 15, 2009. Sunday is the anniversary of the symbolic November 15, 1988 declaration of independence by the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
  7. A Palestinian girl takes part in a rally, marking a symbolic declaration of independence, in the West Bank village of Beit Furiq near Nablus November 15, 2009. Sunday is the anniversary of the symbolic November 15, 1988 declaration of independence by the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
  8. Palestinian men perform a traditional dance on November 15, 2009 under a banner bearing pictures of their late leader Yasser Arafat (R) and his successor, the current Palestinian Authority president Mahmud Abbas, in the West Bank village of Beit Furik, near Nablus, during celebrations of the symbolic declaration of independence. The Palestinians intend to ask the UN Security Council to recognise their independence, a senior official said amid mounting frustration with the stalled peace process. In reaction, Israeli hardline Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau said that if the Palestinians took unilateral steps, Israel should annex the parts of the West Bank that contain major Jewish settlement blocs.
  9. A Palestinian police officer holds up a picture of Yasser Arafat during a rally on November 15, 2009 in Bethlehem's manger square, marking the symbolic declaration of independence. The Palestinians intend to ask the UN Security Council to recognise their independence, a senior official said amid mounting frustration with the stalled peace process. In reaction, Israeli hardline Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau said that if the Palestinians took unilateral steps, Israel should annex the parts of the West Bank that contain major Jewish settlement blocs.
  10. Palestinians watch a march, marking a symbolic declaration of independence, in front of the Church of Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem November 15, 2009. Sunday is the anniversary of the symbolic Nov. 15, 1988 declaration of independence by the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
  11. Members of the Palestinian Security forces stand guard in front of the Church of Nativity during a march, marking a symbolic declaration of independence, in the West Bank town of Bethlehem November 15, 2009. Sunday is the anniversary of the symbolic Nov. 15, 1988 declaration of independence by the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
  12. Palestinians stand next to a portrait of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat during a celebration marking Palestinian Independence Day in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009. Palestinians have marked Nov. 15 as their Independence Day since 1988 when the Palestine National Council unilaterally declared statehood in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Arafat died on Nov. 11, 2004, in a Paris hospital.
  13. Palestinians shout slogans in support of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat during a rally marking the anniversary of Arafat's death in the village of An-Naqura near the West Bank city of Nablus November 14, 2009.
  14. A Palestinian shows off a young Arabian horse during the Palestinian championship for pure-bred Arabian horses in the West Bank city of Jericho November 14, 2009. Some 130 horses took part in the contest, organised by the Palestinian Equestrian Federation in memory, of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
  15. A Palestinian shows off a young Arabian horse during the Palestinian championship for pure-bred Arabian horses in the West Bank city of Jericho November 14, 2009. Some 130 horses took part in the contest, organised by the Palestinian Equestrian Federation, in memory of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
  16. RAMALLAH, WEST BANK - NOVEMBER 11: In this handout image supplied by the Palestinian Press Office (PPO), Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas (C) attends a rally commemorating the fifth anniversary of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's death November 11, 2009 in Ramallah, West Bank. Abbas stood by his demand for a complete Israeli settlement freeze as he addressed tens of thousands of Palestinians gathered to honour Arafat.

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