Palestinian President Yasser Arafat has given instructions for the formation of a committee consisting of members from the Central Committee of Fateh Movement, the Saudi Al Watan daily cited Palestinian sources as saying. The committee will investigate what was described as the disposition by the Head of the Palestinian Council, Salim Zaanoun, of properties belonging to Fateh movement.
The sources pointed out that the real estates in question are in Kuwait and include a Villa worth of three million dollars that was sold very cheaply without prior consultation with neither the Palestinian leadership, nor the concerned department of the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian liberation Organization.
One of Fateh leaders told the paper that most of the Palestinian Liberation Organization’s real estates in Kuwait were either offices for Fateh, Palestinian Embassy to Kuwait or lands used for either military training or investment. These properties were registered in the names of certain persons but with the knowledge and approval of the Palestinian leadership as is the case in a number of Arab and African countries. It is well known by all Palestinian officials that nobody can act in such cases without a written approval from President Arafat.
The family of Jaweed Al Ghusain, former chief of the Palestinian National Fund and presently imprisoned in Gaza on embezzlement charges, confirmed that one the Palestinian figures registered about 60 under valued pieces of land in his name and the name of his son in Jordan.
Many Fateh leaders called upon Arafat to give instructions for investigating all of these corruption cases and refer them to the judiciary authorities for ruling with all diaphaneity.
Many Arab and western capitals have bitterly criticized the PA for its financial and administrative ways of operation. This has urged the Palestinian Authority to issue instructions two weeks ago prohibiting the conclusion of any contracts or deals unless written approvals of four ministers are obtained for such deals – Albawaba.com
