from lannarebirth's link;

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/11/07/...ain582487.shtml

(CBS) Yasser Arafat diverted nearly $1 billion in public funds to insure his political survival, but a lot more is unaccounted for.

Jim Prince and a team of American accountants - hired by Arafat's own finance ministry - are combing through Arafat's books. Given what they've already uncovered, Arafat may be rethinking the decision. Lesley Stahl reports.

So far, Prince's team has determined that part of the Palestinian leader's wealth was in a secret portfolio worth close to $1 billion -- with investments in companies like a Coca-Cola bottling plant in Ramallah, a Tunisian cell phone company and venture capital funds in the U.S. and the Cayman Islands.

Although the money for the portfolio came from public funds like Palestinian taxes, virtually none of it was used for the Palestinian people; it was all controlled by Arafat. And, Prince says, none of these dealings were made public.

"Arafat for years would cry poor, saying, 'I can't pay the salaries, we're gonna have a disaster here, the Palestinian economy is going to collapse,'" says Indyk. "And we would all mouth those words: 'The Palestinian economy is going to collapse if we don't do something about this.' But at the same time, he's accumulating hundreds of millions of dollars."

The stockpile went well beyond the portfolio. Arafat accumulated another $1 billion with the help of -- of all people -- the Israelis. Under the Oslo Accords, it was agreed that Israel would collect sales taxes on goods purchased by Palestinians and transfer those funds to the Palestinian treasury. But instead, Indyk says, "that money is transferred to Yasser Arafat to, amongst other places, bank accounts which he maintains off-line in Israel."

-------

Seeing as you've copied from the link, which we'd already read, you might like to offer an opinion on what you've highlighted.

It's a bit difficult isn't it, without using terms like scum helping scum.

Maybe it's not true? This "investigation" is 6 years old, bit late for a result now.

Seeing as you've copied from the link, which we'd already read, you might like to offer an opinion on what you've highlighted.

It's a bit difficult isn't it, without using terms like scum helping scum.

Maybe it's not true? This "investigation" is 6 years old, bit late for a result now.

"which we'd already read"? Now you're assuming everyone bothered to follow the link and read the whole thing? I didn't bother the first time around. I'm more sure that I'm not alone in that than you are that everyone had already read it.

What's all this about "scum"? I don't need to offer an opinion. I just thought it interesting because I don't remember hearing it before. You can take from it what you will. Lannerebirth posted the link. Why not ask him his opinion?

I'm sure you're right. None of it is true. Arafat was a true martyr living the selfless peasant life. His wife isn't living in comfort in France and all those billions never existed except in Zionist propaganda. It's all so obvious.

What I was saying is that the "proof" is flawed at best. This of course, doesn't mean that Arafat never had his fingers in the cookie jar up to his elbows, which blind Freddie can see that he did.

The point I was trying to make, which you attempted to side step with a show of indignation... which is easier for you than passing an adverse opinion on the Israelis, is that when it comes to dirty tricks in the Middle East, the Israelis have no peer. If they feel the need to work with people like Arafat to protect themselves they will.

I'm not trying to deny them a state or the right to exist, but the "holier than thou" attitude has worn a bit thin.

Which forgotten American said "If we have to become like out enemies to win, then we haven't won?"

I think he was a Republican too.

... which is easier for you than passing an adverse opinion on the Israelis,...

Pot, meet Kettle.

If there is one Golden Rule on this subject that you and your buddies follow it is:

Any criticism of Palestinians = lies, Israeli propagnada

Any criticism of Israel = truth, undeniable facts

I have a question that I hope someone - if not you yourself - can answer;

A few years ago Israel pulled completely out of Gaza. They even sent in their own troops to force out Israelis who refused to leave their homes in the settlements. Fine, I was all for that. I thought the pull-out was a great step in the right direction. Then the first thing the Palestinians did was to launch rockets at Israel from Gaza. Why? Why didn't they try to do something good for the people of Gaza instead? Show Israel and the world that they are capable of creating a civil society. Well, so much for that opportunity.

I suppose this could be a simplistic explanation.

You steal my house. I move into a tent on next door's back lawn and throw stones on your roof until you get sick of it.

You're much bigger than me so you keep coming over and beating me up and knocking my tent down but I persist.

You finally get sick of it and give me back MY garden shed. I use the garden shed as a vantage point to throw more stones on your roof.

You howl with outrage and run to the neighbours squealing about how unreasonable I am and deserve a good kicking (which you proceed to give me) for being in total disregard of neighbourhood law.

I never noticed you addressing my allegations that the state of Israel was founded on terrorism and the murder of British servicemen.

One of my links in my post above does not work.

This link is NOT GOOD.....http://israelipalestinian.procon.org/viewa...nswer-id-002982...do not use this link.

Here is the replacement link:

http://israelipalestinian.procon.org/viewa...estionID=000592

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

There seems to be some dispute about Arafat's personal wealth when he died. Perhaps a couple of other links might help.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2004/11/09/1239645.htm

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/11/07/...ain582487.shtml

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I think the last link was posted.

They all seem to say that the Israelis are calling Arafat a thief.

I suppose they should know if they were aiding and abetting the thievery as Koheesti's link says.

Arafat accumulated another $1 billion with the help of -- of all people -- the Israelis.

I'm not really disputing that the Palestinians are rife with corruption, it's one of the great traditions of the Middle East after all. I suppose the Israelis let him live as long as he did to encourage this.

My father spent years in the region during World War 2 and genially despises both Arabs and Israelis alike.

I agree with you that there is definitely a wealth gap between the kings and the pawns, and that in Western countries, this gap is controlled/manipulated by the "kings".

You know, it's controlled by the Kings in the Middle East too. If you were a King of a Middle Eastern country who had thousands of times the wealth of your average subject, wouldn't you prefer they had a convenient outlet for their frustrations elsewhere?

I suppose they should know if they were aiding and abetting the thievery as Koheesti's link says. .

It wasn't MY link. Give credit where credit is due.

I suppose this could be a simplistic explanation.

You steal my house. I move into a tent on next door's back lawn and throw stones on your roof until you get sick of it.

You're much bigger than me so you keep coming over and beating me up and knocking my tent down but I persist.

You finally get sick of it and give me back MY garden shed. I use the garden shed as a vantage point to throw more stones on your roof.

You howl with outrage and run to the neighbours squealing about how unreasonable I am and deserve a good kicking (which you proceed to give me) for being in total disregard of neighbourhood law.

Simplistic - but an answer all the same so thanks for that. Any way you spin it, the Palestinians fuc_ked up big time. Probably more of the same "let's distract the people so they don't notice how corrupt and inept we are" which is the standard in the ME.

I never noticed you addressing my allegations that the state of Israel was founded on terrorism and the murder of British servicemen.

I didn't know you were expecting me to comment on what you call allegations. I would be on here all day if I brought up each time my posts were ignored by people who have no answer.

I'm not afraid like they are so...

Weren't the Brits in charge of the area in the first half of the 20th century? Aren't they the ones who decided what land goes to who? Balfour Agreement or something like that (it's late. I'm not going to google anything)

Was Israel founded on terrorism? I don't know. I know that Begin received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1978. Wasn't he involved in that hotel bombing back in the 1940's which killed a lot of British military personnel? So the Nobel Peace Prize has been a joke for at least the past 30 years.

Probably more of the same "let's distract the people so they don't notice how corrupt and inept we are" which is the standard in the ME.

And elsewhere obviously as it is so aptly demonstrated.....

Gee I wonder who they learned that from? Probably trying to emulate democracy

Reminds me of the Indian with the rifle the bucket of sh!t & the dead cat.

Walks into a bar demands a beer....swills it down then takes the rifle & shoots the bucket & takes a bite of the cat.

After repeating the process two more time the bartender has to ask......

What the he!! are you doing?

Indian replies.....I want to be like white man.....Drink beer...shoot the sh!t....& eat pussy.

Probably more of the same "let's distract the people so they don't notice how corrupt and inept we are" which is the standard in the ME.

And elsewhere obviously as it is so aptly demonstrated.....

Gee I wonder who they learned that from? Probably trying to emulate democracy

Reminds me of the Indian with the rifle the bucket of sh!t & the dead cat.

Walks into a bar demands a beer....swills it down then takes the rifle & shoots the bucket & takes a bite of the cat.

After repeating the process two more time the bartender has to ask......

What the he!! are you doing?

Indian replies.....I want to be like white man.....Drink beer...shoot the sh!t....& eat pussy.

i'll drink to that

...the Nobel Peace Prize has been a joke for at least the past 30 years.

finally something from you i can second wholeheartedly!

I never noticed you addressing my allegations that the state of Israel was founded on terrorism and the murder of British servicemen.

that's irrelevant! they were Brits, not Americans

The British were our allies in 1946, as they remain to this date

A few years ago Israel pulled completely out of Gaza. They even sent in their own troops to force out Israelis who refused to leave their homes in the settlements. Fine, I was all for that. I thought the pull-out was a great step in the right direction. Then the first thing the Palestinians did was to launch rockets at Israel from Gaza. Why? Why didn't they try to do something good for the people of Gaza instead? Show Israel and the world that they are capable of creating a civil society. Well, so much for that opportunity.

you are mixing up Palestinians with Hamas. the latter have the guns. power comes from the muzzle of a gun and the Hamas guns muzzle those who are reasonable and moderate. something similar happens in Israel. it's not muzzles of guns but the votes of tiny ultra conservative parties needed to form a government.

the average Israeli as well as the average Falastini wants nothing but to live in peace, prosper and hope for a future for his/her children. but the fàcking minority bastards on both sides won't let that happen.

I unthinkingly located 490,000 links to the subject of Iran and Syria arming Hezbollah and Hamas in 0.12 seconds on Google.

big numbers are always convincing! billions of flies and trillions belonging to ancestral fly generations consider(ed) shit to be a delicacy.

therefore it can be considered without reasonable doubt that shit is indeed a delicacy.

billion and trillions can't be wrong!

I unthinkingly located 490,000 links to the subject of Iran and Syria arming Hezbollah and Hamas in 0.12 seconds on Google.

big numbers are always convincing! billions of flies and trillions belonging to ancestral fly generations consider(ed) shit to be a delicacy.

therefore it can be considered without reasonable doubt that shit is indeed a delicacy.

billion and trillions can't be wrong!

Ah, but, you see I didn't quote all 490,000 of them. I only posted seven (7) sites for your perusal, which obviously went over your head.

Why not look up the remaining 489,993 and see if you can come up with something to refute my position?

Wouldn't that seem more constructive than the oblique reference you made to fly shit?

Edit in: I have further decided to bow to your vast knowledge of fly shit and not search any of my sources for your accuracy.

A few years ago Israel pulled completely out of Gaza. They even sent in their own troops to force out Israelis who refused to leave their homes in the settlements. Fine, I was all for that. I thought the pull-out was a great step in the right direction. Then the first thing the Palestinians did was to launch rockets at Israel from Gaza. Why? Why didn't they try to do something good for the people of Gaza instead? Show Israel and the world that they are capable of creating a civil society. Well, so much for that opportunity.

you are mixing up Palestinians with Hamas. the latter have the guns. power comes from the muzzle of a gun and the Hamas guns muzzle those who are reasonable and moderate. something similar happens in Israel. it's not muzzles of guns but the votes of tiny ultra conservative parties needed to form a government.

the average Israeli as well as the average Falastini wants nothing but to live in peace, prosper and hope for a future for his/her children. but the fàcking minority bastards on both sides won't let that happen.

A Christmas miracle! I agree 100%.

Hey here is a magical coinky dink......

Obama's Afghan Troop Surge for 100 al-Qaeda

One al Qaeda fighter in Afghanistan is worth 1000 US soldiers chasing him?????.

But wait........

The December 2 ABC News article clearly spelled out the hefty price tag for dealing with so few terrorists: “With 100,000 troops in Afghanistan at an estimated yearly cost of $30 billion, it means that for every one al Qaeda fighter, the U.S. will commit 1,000 troops and $300 million a year.”

In the midst of recession, deficits, national debt, and expensive healthcare reform proposals, the United States is spending $300 million and putting 1,000 American lives in danger for each remaining al-Qaeda agent in Afghanistan. Al-Qaeda may never have to attack another U.S. target if they can keep our federal government spending America into the poorhouse and shipping more U.S. troops overseas, basically bringing targets to al-Qaeda for them to shoot at.

I hope the US ex-pats are self reliant financially because at this rate......

Uncanny co-inky dink indeed.

Hey here is a magical coinky dink......

Obama's Afghan Troop Surge for 100 al-Qaeda

One al Qaeda fighter in Afghanistan is worth 1000 US soldiers chasing him?????.

This reply is just for those who think you might even be a tad serious comparing 1000:1 Palestinians to Israeli and 1000:1 US Troops to al Qaeda...

The troops are doing much more than chasing al Qaeda. They are fighting the Taliban, providing some security, hunting down the bad guys (If one man robs a bank, does just one cop try to find him?), even building schools, etc and if you believe PeaceBlondie, they are going village to village raping the women and girls.

Hamas is asking a straight forward 1000-for-1 trade.

This reply is just for those who think you might even be a tad serious comparing 1000:1 Palestinians to Israeli and 1000:1 US Troops to al Qaeda...

The troops are doing much more than chasing al Qaeda. They are fighting the Taliban, providing some security, hunting down the bad guys (If one man robs a bank, does just one cop try to find him?), even building schools, etc and if you believe PeaceBlondie, they are going village to village raping the women and girls.

Hamas is asking a straight forward 1000-for-1 trade.

errrr we are in fact risking 1000 sons & daughter to chase per 1

No we do not send 1 cop to chase 1 bank robber but we do not send 1000 either. Instead we usually post a picture

Also I would not be surprised to find we do in fact have 100 bank robbers & we sure would not send 100,000 in chase of them.

Nor would we be allowed the budget of 30 billion to do so.

But hey its your dime ultimately. Which is why I said ...aside form the moral side of it.....I hope all ex-pats are financially self reliant. Because your govt is spending 300 million per 1000 soldiers chasing that 1

i really never get this attitude about risking life as if the volunteer soldier was not aware that by signing up for military service, fighting in war zones may be part of the deal. I have a son who attended the coast guard acadamy, washed out after a couple of yrs, after traveling to europe and china and completing his university studies he has now re signed in the army, he is fully aware that his next deployment may be in a hot zone. Why do the doves complain when the fighting soldiers do not? As for the money spent, once again i remind all that as the largest employer the money spent on the military and all it's sub contracts is a huge part of keeping the economy moving.

errrr we are in fact risking 1000 sons & daughter to chase per 1

Nope.

i really never get this attitude about risking life as if the volunteer soldier was not aware that by signing up for military service, fighting in war zones may be part of the deal. I have a son who attended the coast guard acadamy, washed out after a couple of yrs, after traveling to europe and china and completing his university studies he has now re signed in the army, he is fully aware that his next deployment may be in a hot zone. Why do the doves complain when the fighting soldiers do not? As for the money spent, once again i remind all that as the largest employer the money spent on the military and all it's sub contracts is a huge part of keeping the economy moving.

I'll take a shot at answering that...Because doves can't comprehend why anyone would want to be a soldier and risk their life if they had a real choice. They believe people who volunteer feel they have no other way to earn money. Fight - or starve to death. Soldiers are stupid, uneducated rednecks or stupid, uneducated poor inner city kids. The dove is superior both morally & intellectually to a soldier so they feel it is their duty to make the soldier see the error of their ways.

i really never get this attitude about risking life as if the volunteer soldier was not aware that by signing up for military service, fighting in war zones may be part of the deal.

Of course it goes with the territory.

But the question is risked for what reason?

What does the oath ask when you join?

I'll take a shot at answering that...Because doves can't comprehend why anyone would want to be a soldier and risk their life if they had a real choice. They believe people who volunteer feel they have no other way to earn money. Fight - or starve to death. Soldiers are stupid, uneducated rednecks or stupid, uneducated poor inner city kids. The dove is superior both morally & intellectually to a soldier so they feel it is their duty to make the soldier see the error of their ways.

Trust me when I say I am no dove.

I can kill anything that threatens me & mine directly or even this country we call home.

And I do mean foreign or domestic threats.

IF threatened directly

But I am no vulture either & that is where your confusion lies.

errrr we are in fact risking 1000 sons & daughter to chase per 1

Nope.

Oh I see Kor Tort

Perhaps you best call US Intelligence & let them know their wrong then....

senior U.S. intelligence official told them that “the approximate estimate of 100 al Qaeda members left in Afghanistan

errrr we are in fact risking 1000 sons & daughter to chase per 1

Nope.

Oh I see Kor Tort

Perhaps you best call US Intelligence & let them know their wrong then....

senior U.S. intelligence official told them that “the approximate estimate of 100 al Qaeda members left in Afghanistan

That brings up the question of how many Al Qaeda members are right across the border in Pakistan?

Would you happen to have any numbers on this little poser?