Arafat's exhumation may raise more questions than answers

There have long been questions over the death of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Now, his body has been exhumed, but as Channel 4 News reports, it may raise more questions than answers.

There have long been questions over the death of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Now, his body has been exhumed but as Channel 4 News reports, it may raise more questions than answers.

Towards the end of his life - Yasser Arafat became a virtual prisoner in his battered Ramallah headquarters, as he defiantly took on Israel. But in October 2004 he mysteriously fell ill and was evacuated to France. He was dead within a month. The speed of his death at 75 and burial back in Ramallah after a short illness immediately fed suspicions of foul play.

It took eight years for further tests to be carried out on his clothing and his hair. Swiss scientists claim to have found traces of polonium despite the tests came up as inconclusive. Now, French, Swiss and Russian investigators are looking into those claims and if they are proved to be true, questions remain about who killed him and how it was done.

If polonium was used, it's believed it would have been inhaled, ingested or injected -- something that would have been difficult without getting close to Arafat.

While Israel is accused of being involved, there is fierce speculation that any possible poisoning would not have been possible without collaboration with Palestinians.