Palestinians 'made millions' selling cheap cement for barrier they bitterly oppose

Telegraph.co.uk ^ | 25/07/2004 | Inigo Gilmore

[Nachum]

Palestinian businessmen have made millions of pounds supplying cement for Israel's "security barrier" in the full knowledge of Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian leader and one of the wall's most vocal critics.

A damning report by Palestinian legislators, which has been seen by the Telegraph, concludes that Mr Arafat did nothing to stop the deals although he publicly condemned the structure as a "crime against humanity".

The Israeli wall cuts through the Palestinian town of Baqa el-Gharbiya The report claims that the cement was sold with the knowledge of senior officials at the Palestinian ministry of national economy, and close advisers to Mr Arafat. It concludes that officials were bribed to issue import licences for the cement to importers and businessmen working for Israelis.

[Nachum]

Hey, business is business.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[Bobby777]

like those publicly sacrificed by Arafat's thugs, I imagine there are a few Palis that don't support terrorism against their neighbors ... perhaps many more than a few, but they've been cowed into silence by Arafat's foot soldiers ...

[pointsal]

Okay, did Kofi & his band of theives get their cut?
I'm just curious.

[thoughtomator]

Maybe they should sell Israel ammunition too, if they're cashing in their chips.

[absalom01]

"Why Arafat did nothing about it, we just don't know. "

Yeah, that's a real mystery, all right.

[VOA]

like those publicly sacrificed by Arafat's thugs, I imagine there are a few Palis
that don't support terrorism against their neighbors

Sorry I can't give you a citation...
but I think I heard one news report about Palestinians wailing to the Isreali
government to be sure that their area be INCLUDED within the bounds of the protective
barrier.
Besides the economic advantage of being "on the right side", they said they feared the
violence and chaos that is just Standard Operating Procedure for the
areas run by the Palestinian Authority.

[DoughtyOne]

Now that is funny.

[Bronco_Buster_FweetHyagh]

Fences make for good neighbors.

It would take a real Moron, or a flat out anti-semite, to blame Israel in any manner for securing their border. Unlike the Iron Curtain, which was built to keep people inside a system that did not work, Israel's fence is built to keep out the terrorists. More power to em.

[hershey]

Uh, how much did Arafat skim off and put into his Swiss bank account? His Palestinian pals might not appreciate that.

[DoughtyOne]

Yes they do. I will tell you that I am concerned about tunneling. A well built tunnel could see tens if not low hundreds of radical Palis influx into Israel to cause mahem. I Sometimes wonder if we're not seeing the calm before a massive blow. I hope not.

[RightWhale]

They all sell each other everything. Business is business.

[Pikachu_Dad]

Well then lets hope they had strict quality control on the cement. Otherwise the wall may fall down.

[Petronski]

I'm a little confused here. Does 'cheap' as reported here mean low cost or poor quality?

[RightWhale]

Let's hope if the wall falls it doesn't land on a Palestinian just before he tries to launch his katyusha bombardment rocket.

[Bobby777]

I imagine you're correct ... there are no doubt a bunch of Palis who would rather live amongst Israelis than certain folk of their countrymen ... for reasons that are all too obvious ...