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Sharon vows probe into Arafat’s Swiss bank account
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Thursday that a full investigation into allegations that former senior Shin Bet official Yossi Ginossar was responsible for managing a Swiss bank account belonging to Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat and PA financial advisor Mohammed Rashid was already underway. The allegation was made by the Ma'ariv daily in its Thursday edition. The funds in the account were not defined as belonging to Arafat and Rashid, but as "monies of the Palestinian people." One and the same. According to the report, Ginossar and his business partner Ezrad Lev transferred some $300 million in funds from the Lombard Odier bank account to unknown destinations during the first year of the current intifada. Ginossar received handsome commissions for his services, the report said, and in return, he funneled money to Rashid via fictitious companies that were set up. Read elsewhere he got about $10M in comissions. The former Shin Bet official responded to the report by saying that all of his business activities were legal and that he had filed all the necessary reports to the relevant authorities. He pointed out that when he was officially involved in missions for the government Israel, he did not engage in business activities, but that he did make use of the business connections with the Palestinians to advance contacts between Israel and the PA. Advanced his own pocketbook, it seems. Ezrad Lev gave Ma'ariv details on the arrangement. "I couldn't continue to live with the feeling that I was partner, even if in a completely passive manner, to illegal and unethical acts, including under the table bribe payments, conflicts of interest and problematic conduct," the paper quoted Lev as saying. Lev, a 42-year-old business man, opened the Swiss bank account on behalf of the Palestinians and was used as their financial strategist. He was also Mohammed Rashid's financial advisor. Hope these guys get what's coming to them. Posted by: Steve 2002-12-05 |
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