FrontPageMagazine published a commentary by Rachel Ehrenfeld describing how Arafat pilfered money to build up his personal fortune to finance terror. Her thesis is that Arafat has enough money amassed to maintain his power, despite the “intra-fadeh” against PA corruption.
Jawad Ghussein, who was the secretary-general of the Palestinian National Fund until 1996, remarked yesterday on the phone from London, “the billions Arafat has stolen over the years from the Palestinian people facilitated the corruption of the Palestinian leadership, and is the source of his power over them.” He went on to say that Arafat “took aid money and contributions that were earmarked for the Palestinian people, to his own account.” Ghussein was in a position to know: for twelve years, he had deposited $7.5 to $8 million each month into Arafat’s personal bank account.
Ehrenfeld estimates that Arafat controls $495 million to spend at his sole discretion, and that at least 60 percent of the money comes from foreign donations.
