Arafat worth $2 billion?

[yllus]

Arafat worth $2 billion, Israel says

JERUSALEM (AP) ? Palestinian President Yasser Arafat has amassed a personal fortune of about $2 billion, Israel's military intelligence chief has told a parliamentary committee.

The claim was dismissed today by Palestinian Authority officials as an Israeli attempt to discredit Arafat.

Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip live in increasingly deteriorating conditions, and Arafat has repeatedly made appeals for international aid.

Arafat lives frugally, but there have been reports in recent years that he has funnelled hundreds of millions of dollars into bank accounts overseas, with the help of his shadowy economic adviser, Khaled Salam. It has been suggested that Arafat would use the money if forced to flee the Palestinian areas.

In a report to international donors last year, Arafat acknowledged the existence of a multimillion-dollar slush fund. For years, Arafat directly controlled income from Palestinian Authority monopolies over cement and gasoline.

Wow, $2 billion. Why wouldn't he just retire as leader on the condition of safe passage out of the Middle East? Not sure what to think here...

 

[DaveSimmons]

Wow, $2 billion. Why wouldn't he just retire as leader on the condition of safe passage out of the Middle East? Not sure what to think here...

most heads of state love the power more than the money.

 

[diskop]

Didn't Conan say he stole all that money? Last nite? In his monologue?

 

[IGBT]

It's no accident that the "refuge" camps have remained camps for over 20 years while Arafat diverts funds and could care less about the squalor conditions that have become his legacy. Arafat needs to go away and return to his family living in opulent luxury in France. And let a true Palestinian leader rise from the Arafat induced ruins.

 

[0ops]

OMG does that mean that some of the arab world are responsible for palestinian suffering? who
would have thought :Q :Q :Q

 

[Balthazar]

Who the heck cares?
I am so sick and tired of hearing about how bad they have it....
Some of these people are the same people that are basicly saying "our country is crap, so we must turn your country into crap" and the others are saying "our country is crap, and you aren't doing anything about it, we hate you", and yet another part is saying "our country is crap, and you are interfering, we hate you.".

SCREW the whole dang bunch of them, go blow each other off the face of the earth, I am sure that will make you so happy, and will shut you up so we don't have to hear it....

We're greedy, hahahaha, people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones....

God I cannot wait until alternate energy sources get developed and we can tell them all to piss off we are collectively tired of dealing with their non-productive BS....

arg....