French prosecutors have opened a murder inquiry into the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat near Paris 8 years ago.
The inquiry comes after the Arafat family launched legal action in France last month.
It came amid claims the President of the Palestinian Authority died of radioactive polonium poisoning.
Arafat died in November of 2004 at a military hospital in Paris.
After being stricken with an ailment which remains unknown he was airlifted to France when he fell ill during an extended siege Israel mounted on his compound during a Palestinian uprising.
He died shortly thereafter.
His death aroused rumours among Palestinians of an assassination which many blamed on Israel.
An investigation into the case could rekindle Palestinian hostility toward Israel and widespread suspicions that a local collaborator may have poisoned him under directions from the Jewish state.
