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| Middle East |
| Arafat, PA stashing dough overseas |
| 2002-07-14 |
| The Palestinian Authority has transferred tens of millions of dollars overseas in case of a long-term Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories. An Israeli document, quoted by Yediot Aharonot newspaper, accuses Yasser Arafat of having transferred $5.1 million into the Parisian bank account of his wife Suha. This is a separate $5.1 million from the dough he stashed in Cairo in his own name? The document also refers to a transfer of $70 million by Mahmud Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, the number two in the PLO, the paper added, without saying where the money had been sent. The funds were being set aside for financing the activities of the Palestinian leadership in the event of it being forced into exile. A senior Israeli source confirmed to AFP that Israel had handed the United States a document showing "considerable transfers of funds" by the Palestinian Authority. Just setting aside some cash to finance a revolution, and maybe to buy some groceries — a little pate, some champagne, a few scantily clad chorus girls to serve them, nothing ostentatious, mind you... But a senior Arafat aide slammed the allegations as Israeli propaganda aimed at diverting the attention of the diplomatic "quartet" of the United States, Russia, the European Union and United Nations which meets Tuesday to discuss reviving the peace process. "This information is part of the lies and rumours which are being put around by the Israelis before the quartet meeting," Nabil Abu Rudeina told AFP by telephone. "Lies! All lies!" |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |